


A Light in the Darkness

by aslan_1891



Category: Merlin (TV), The Chronicles of Narnia
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Slave Trade, darker than usual, magic restraining, nothing actually happens within the story, possible triggers, suggestions/allusions to assault, torture of innocents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2020-09-23 02:35:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 37
Words: 95,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20332633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aslan_1891/pseuds/aslan_1891
Summary: A Merlin/Narnia crossover involving an OC. When Arthur and the Knights stumble into Narnia, they bring trouble with them. This leaves Caspian separated from one of his most trusted advisors and warriors, Ana, while trapped with Arthur and his men. For Arthur and the gang it is nothing but pain and misery but Ana’s in for a much darker fate. Trapped and alone, Ana will find herself struggling with her faith in Aslan. But through it all, they’ll realize there’s always a light in the darkness. You just have to know where to look.





	1. A Sticky Situation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Penguina](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Penguina/gifts).

> This is story involves an OC of mine, but I took it on a much darker path than usual. I’ve written stories about her in the past but this is my first published work here. You don’t have to read the other stories as this is mostly a stand-alone. Her name is Ana and she has “magic” that keeps her stuck as a child. As a result of this, she has been alive since before the Pevensies’ Golden Age. (Most of this will be explained throughout the story but I wanted to cover more of the confusing parts before hand). 
> 
> Some of the later chapters get really dark. Suggestions and allusions to assault are mentioned, but nothing happens within the story. While any of these interaction with Ana could seem underage because she is physically 15, she has the maturity and mind of someone well over 1400 years old. I’m just putting this as a warning to anyone who might be concerned about Underage. But as I said, nothing happens within the story.

The bandit kept Ana at bay by holding his dagger to her eye. Any move she could make to dislodge it would’ve been extremely dangerous. The bandits knew this. So she cooperated in any way to avoid losing an eye. Ana noticed, briefly, that by holding her, they had leverage against the her companions. They were held tightly as well, but no one struggled. Ana hated being the reason for their surrender.

When they reached the camp, Ana was restrained firmly in the bandit’s grip as another bandit went in search of ropes. The men had their arms tied tightly behind their backs. Each one was then roughly shoved to the ground. Merlin could easily get out of his bonds, but he would wait on that. He wouldn’t make a move without having a good plan first. The ruffians didn’t bother to chain her arms behind her back, knowing there was little she could do. Yet the cuffs on Ana’s wrist were heavy and the chain between them rattled as she was pushed into the arms of an awaiting bandit. Ana could feel the magic radiating from them the moment she saw the cuffs and knew that they were no good.  
“We know all about you,” the bandit’s leader said more for the purpose of the others than her. They had already had this discussion. “These cuffs should make sure to keep any funny business in check.”

That said, he gave a sign to his men to shove Ana against a tree a few feet away from her companions, no doubt to cut off any secret communication between her and the Kings. This way if their majesties were planning something Ana wouldn’t be able to know the details without the bandits overhearing, which she assumed was the point of the Leader’s order. Normally, she could probably make out what was said just fine, given that she wasn't that far away, so Ana didn’t think much of it. There was a brief discussion about further restraining her before deciding against it. Ana remained calm. Even with her hands in front, she wouldn't be able to take them by herself. She only glared at the men, never saying a word.

“Let us go and you have my word as King that no harm will come to you,” Caspian tried to barter.  
The bandits just laughed. “Save your breath. Someone’s already paid for your capture,” one of them barked. “Every one of you, except the girl.” 

Caspian fell silent at that, his eyes flicked to Ana in concern. Ana knew what he was thinking. The bandits had no reason to keep her, yet they did. They kept her restrained and separated from the others, making her the most vulnerable of all of them. Whatever they planned for her, it wasn’t good. Perhaps it was worse than what the others had in store. With those thoughts, Ana placed her head against the tree and fell asleep.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

“Ana!” Caspian said, jolting Ana awake. She glanced around the clearing before focusing back on him. “Are you alright?” he asked.  
“I’m fine,” she stated, groggily.  
“You’ve been asleep all afternoon.” His voice was laced with concern. Ana noticed that the sky was dark and it had been afternoon when they arrived at the camp, confirming Caspian's statement.  
“They hit me on the head,” was her response. “I had a headache. Possible concussion.”  
“Oh, look at that,” one of the bandits mocked. “The King is worried about the girl. If I was you, I’d be more concerned about what’s gonna happen to you,” he laughed cruelly.  
”And what is gonna happen to me?” Caspian pressed, not letting them get to him.  
“You’ll just have to wait and see,” the bandit smiled darkly. “How about letting Ana go then? You said you weren’t paid for her. There’s no reason to keep her.”  
“And have her running back to tell the others where we are?” the leader of the group interjected, making his way to the captives. “If you’re not happy with her current condition, I could change it,” he said, withdrawing his dagger and making a few steps towards Ana.  
Caspian’s eyes widened in shock, realizing his intent. “No! It’s fine.”  
The leader smiled and sheathed his dagger. “I have all the power and you have nothing to barter with. I’ve got Ana which makes all of you vulnerable,” he spoke cruelly, laughing as the realization of the situation sunk in.

They lapsed into silence while the bandits set about making a fire. Ana watched with sadness as Caspian ceased all talking. She knew he wouldn’t run and leave her behind, even though he was the King and most definitely should. It was exactly what he was thinking.  
“You have to, you know,” she spoke aloud, to no one in particular but Caspian looked at her.  
“No, I don’t,” he answered coldly.  
“Yes. You do,” she pressed, huffing.  
“What are they talking about?” one bandit asked, eyes narrowing in the direction of the captives.  
“I don’t know. She just started talking,” another shrugged.  
“I do not! There will be no more discussion about this,” Caspian said, firmly, ignoring the bandits’ comments.

Ana only rolled her eyes and huffed to show her disapproval. Then they fell silent wondering whether they would be allowed to eat this evening or if the meal they had for breakfast would be the last one they ever had.

Arthur leaned in slightly towards Caspian. “What was she talking about earlier?” he whispered to the other King while the bandits prepared a meal.  
“Ana? She was saying that I have to leave her,” Caspian answered. “I don’t have to do anything. Should I? Yes, but I can’t. Not with the way some of these bandits keep looking at her.”  
“Like she’s fresh meat...” Arthur agreed.  
“You noticed too?”  
“All of us have, except for maybe Merlin.” He glanced pointedly at his servant who was merely glaring in the direction of the bandits and paying no attention to his master.  
“She might hate me for not abandoning her if I have the chance. But at least she’ll be alive and, hopefully, unharmed,” Caspian explained. “I couldn’t live with myself if I left her alone with them. It’s bad enough we can’t really do anything. Abandoning her? It can get a whole lot worse...”  
Arthur nodded in agreement, seeming to feel the same way. “She’s your subject. We’ll follow your lead on what to do.”  
“You should run if we get the chance. Her situation is not your problem,” Caspian argued.  
“We surrendered because her life was in danger. The bandits said she wasn’t paid for which means she’s only in this situation because of us. We won’t abandon her either.”  
Caspian looked relieved but upset. “She’s not going to be happy with either of us, now.”  
Arthur let out a small smile. “She’s just going to have to deal with.”

A few feet away, Ana frowned. Had anyone seen her, they would’ve thought she overheard. She saw the two Kings talking and knew it was important. The problem was not what they had said, but rather the fact that she couldn’t hear them. Her senses seemed to be weaker, not as sharp. Normally, she could pick a conversation not too far away, but this time she couldn’t. It meant she wouldn’t be able to hear a threat until it was close and that made Ana very worried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How they ended up in this situation is going to come later. I decided to build up to that because when the story first came to mind, I was still working on that part. I had no idea how exactly they ended up like this. Plus, it's an interesting way to introduce the characters.


	2. What Happened Before - Arrival at the Castle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except for the characters you do not recognize from Narnia or Merlin.

"Welcome, King Arthur," Caspian greeted, rising from his throne to approach them. 

Arthur stood before the King Caspian’s throne in a room with that held twenty or so more chairs. It appeared to be a council room. Most of Caspian’s men remained just inside the door, though there were two located beside the throne should any of the others make a move on their King.

Four men stood a few feet behind Arthur in their armour and their swords at the waist. Though none drew them, it was clear from the looks on their faces that they wouldn’t hesitate to do so if King Caspian so much looked at them wrong. There was was fifth man, in front of the other four, and almost directly to King Arthur’s right. He wore no armour and it was clear he was not one of the Knights. His dress indicated that he was more of servant status than nobility. 

"I hope your journey to the castle wasn't too stressful,” King Caspian continued. “We're aware of your view on magic so when word arrived that you were here, I wanted to make sure you were safely escorted to the castle. I didn't want you or your men killing a Narnian and make them retaliate in defense."  
"So your _men_ said..." Arthur stated bitterly, with a glance at the ones present. He was not happy with the situation. "How do I know you're not going to lock us up and torture us?"  
"Why would I do that?" Caspian looked appalled at such a statement. "Because you think all magic is evil? And since I'm the ruler of a Kingdom full of magical creatures, I must be evil? That about sum it up?"  
"Yes," Arthur stated briskly, crossing his arms.  
"Well, then consider this. We allowed you and your men to keep your weapons. You were not escorted by any Narnians, nor are there no any currently present in court. Why would I care about that if I wanted to hurt you?” Caspian paused for a moment to let that sink in but didn’t wait for an answer. “Besides, I’ve had my best archer following you since you arrived. Given your surprised looks just now, you had no idea she was there and could’ve easily killed you. It would've been much easier to deal with you in the woods than in the castle.”  
“You had an archer following us?” Arthur repeated, aghast, and glanced at his servant. The man also looked a bit shocked at the statement.  "She was the one who sent a message of your arrival. She recognized you and sent word immediately, promising to stay close until she heard from me,” Caspian explained. “I didn’t _have_ her follow you. I just didn’t tell her to stop.” He emphasized the difference.  
“Word travels fast here... Your men found us because she led you right to us, didn’t she?”  
“Well, they would’ve found you eventually. It’s not like you were hiding. She just made it happen a little faster so no one ended up getting hurt."  
"And no," came a feminine voice from behind the group.

Arthur and his men turned to see a small girl standing in the doorway, a girl who couldn't have been more than fifteen years old. Going from her left shoulder to her right hip was the strap for her quiver that was behind her back. In her hand, she held a bow and Arthur haughty noted that she also had a dagger at her hip. Her auburn hair was loosely tied back and some strands had fallen into her face. She tucked them behind her ears and continued speaking.  
"To answer your next question: I did not have my bow on you the entire time," the girl said.  
Arthur could barely contain a laugh. "In Camelot, we don't let children handle weapons without supervision," he mocked before turning to Caspian. "_This _is the archer you had following us?" His disdain was palpable.  
Before Caspian could answer the girl’s face darkened and she spoke up. "A girl like me couldn't live in Camelot since she _magically _stays a child. They would either be killed or forced on the run." Her voice was sarcastic but it held bitterness as well.  
"Ana..." Caspian warned when he saw the shock on the others’ faces.  
The dark-haired knight let out a chuckle at the girl's blatant comment. But when he saw the seriousness in the foreign King's face, he sobered. "She's serious?"  
“Yes,” Caspian sighed. “She has been...cursed... with the inability to age. Always stuck looking like a child, but she’s much older than that. I believe she’s the oldest one here.” He seemed a bit hesitant of the word ‘cursed.’   
Arthur stuttered an apology. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize...”  
“It’s okay,” Ana assured him. Her voice was kind but it held a bit of sadness, though the reason was unknown. “I get responses like that a lot. But when you judge someone before you get to know them, you say or do things you can’t take back.”  
“I’ll try to remember that,” Arthur said, feeling chastised.  
“Ana Cendre,” the girl replied, curtsying. “I apologize for interrupting, your majesty, but I find it better to answer questions regarding me personally."  
“Yes, Ana certainly knows how to make an entrance,” Caspian teased. Ana only shrugged with a mischievous smile in response and he focused on their guests.  
“Now, I can have rooms prepared quite quickly if you’d like to rest awhile. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you need, but I should warn you that the longer you stay, the greater the chance you’ll run into a Narnian.”  
“Thank you,” Arthur responded, intending to decline the offer, but the darker-haired knight spoke again before he could finish.  
“Great! I could do with some food and a nice tankard of mead!” he replied, happily.  
“Gwaine!” Arthur lectured.  
“The food can be arranged,” Caspian said, barely holding back his laugh, “but we don’t have any mead here.”  
"What?!” Gwaine was disappointed and the other knights chuckled. Not even Arthur or his servant could keep a straight face.  
“They might have some in the local tavern, but we don’t have any in stock within the castle,” Caspian said.  
“Ah... Most castles don’t,” Gwaine smiled. “They prefer the wines.”  
Caspian only smiled at the man's comment. “So it’s settled then?” he asked Arthur.  
Arthur sighed, feeling a bit pressured. “I suppose we can stay one night. Give the men a chance to rest and Gwaine some food so perhaps he’ll be less annoying.”  
“I’m offended,” Gwaine said with mock offense.  
“I don’t think it’ll do any good, your majesty,” the blonde knight told his King, barely containing a smile. “Gwaine is always hungry and he never knows when to shut up.”  
“Hey!”  
“You’re right, Leon,” Arthur smiled. “But some sleep would allow the rest of us to put up with it.” 

With that statement, Ana rushed off to have rooms prepared while Caspian made arrangements for food. It would do everyone a lot of good to take the day off to rest and deal with everything in the morning. Caspian wasn’t exactly sure what he should do with their guest s except try to make them as comfortable as possible. He couldn’t have the Narnians stay out of the castle the entire time Arthur visited, but he also didn’t want to push the royal out. The night provided time to think and plan things out. 

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~ **

The following day, it rained. It was practically pouring at times. That was good for the crops, but not so good if one planned to travel anywhere far. Arthur knew they wouldn’t be able to go anywhere in the current weather and had reluctantly agreed to stay another night. He hadn’t seen too many magical creatures within the castle walls, so while he disliked being in the Kingdom, he was okay within the castle.

Merlin, on the other hand, enjoyed being in someone else’s castle. His only task was to watch after Arthur and be at his beck and call. Arthur couldn’t make him do outlandish tasks and he most definitely didn’t have to worry about cleaning out the stables. Sure, Arthur did find other ways to annoy him. Like, say polishing his armor for the  _ second _ time that day!

He was making his way from Arthur’s room, carefully balancing his armor. The first time he polished it in his room, with Arthur hovering and pointing out everything Merlin missed. So Merlin knew there was no way it needed polishing again! He huffed and had decided to take the armor somewhere else just to get away from Arthur. The problem was, he wasn’t sure where. The decision was made when he turned the corner and ran straight into someone else. Had he been going faster, he would’ve fallen down but all it did was knock the armor out of his hands. Pieces went everywhere and the person let out a hiss as the helmet landed on their foot.  
“I’m sorry,” Merlin said, feeling embarrassed and he bent down to clean up the armor. He had no idea how people treated clumsy servants here.  
“It seems I’m not the only one who knows how to make an entrance,” a familiar voice said. Merlin looked up to see it was Ana he had run into. “Here, let me help,” she said as she picked up the helmet.  
“Thank you, but I can handle it,” Merlin told her.  
“Oh, I’m sure. But is it a crime in Camelot to help servants?”  
“No, but most people don’t.” “Well, I’m not most people,” she stated rather matter-of-factly.  
“I got that when we first met,” Merlin grinned at her. His magic always bubbled under the surface whenever she was present, and he couldn't figure out why. Was it the curse or perhaps something more?  
“You’re King Arthur’s servant.” It was a statement, not a question. “Does he always make you accompany him when he travels?”  
“I’m Merlin,” he told her. “And no. I insisted on coming so many times in the past that Arthur just assumes I’m coming.”  
“Interesting...” Ana said, taking a few more pieces from Merlin to help him balance the load. “Shall we go to the armory?”  
“What for?” Merlin asked, suspicious.  
“For polishing...?” Ana asked, concerned. “I mean, I assumed you were looking for a place to polish the King’s armor besides in his room. The armory is the best place for that.”  
“Oh. Right. Of course, my apologies,” Merlin stuttered out, feeling a bit guilty.

Ana grinned, seeming to understand the confusion, and led him down the hall. After many twists and turns, they finally arrived at the armory and Merlin knew he would get lost if he tried to make his way back without help. Ana shuffled the pieces of armor she was carrying so she could open the door and peeked her head inside.  
"It's empty," she explained, pushing the door open further. "Should give you a quiet place to work without distractions."  
"Thank you," Merlin told her as he made his way inside. He set his pieces down on a bench before glancing around.

Ana placed her load next to Merlin's and watched him. This armory wasn't that much different from the one in Camelot. It held slightly different armor and weapons, but it was something Merlin was pretty familiar with. He didn't expect he'd have much trouble finding what he needed.  
"This should work just fine," he told her.  
"Good. I'm afraid I won't be able to help you find anything. I don't come to the armory a whole lot because I keep all my weapons in my room. I prefer them close by should I ever need them," Ana explained.  
Merlin might’ve mentioned that Arthur does the same, except for the ones he used in practice, but he felt that was more than Ana needed to know. "I'm sure I can find it without too much difficulty," he assured her.  
Ana nodded. "Well, if anyone asked what you're doing here, just tell them that 'Phoenix' said you could work here."  
"Phoenix?" Merlin questioned, confused by such a name.  
"It's a... nickname. That way they know you're not just making it up. The Telmarines can be a bit rude and untrusting sometimes," she told him with a shake of her head.  
"Alright. Thanks. For your help and everything else you've done."  
"You're welcome. It was my pleasure to give you a hand, Emrys." Ana said his name a bit hesitantly. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.  
"What?" Merlin replied, trying to conceal his worry. "My name is Merlin..."  
"I take it from your reaction that Arthur doesn't know?" Her voice was kind and understanding. "Your secret is safe with me. I promise I won't tell anyone."  
"But how did you know?” Merlin asked helplessly. “I haven't used magic since we've been here. Haven't really had the chance with Arthur hovering."  
"I've lived here all my life. When you've been around magic as I have, you can tell when someone has magic within them, can feel the power of it and if it's tainted. Yours is not. Given the sheer amount of power, I made an assumption." Ana shrugged like it was a common thing and given her explanation, it probably was.  
Merlin didn't know what to say, so he simply said: "Thank you." Ana nodded and then departed, leaving Merlin alone with his thoughts. 


	3. What Happened Before - Ana's Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur finds out that Ana has a secret

It had been a few days since Arthur, the Knights and Merlin found themselves in Narnia. At Caspian’s request, the Narnians tried to make themselves scarce in the castle and on the grounds. They wanted to make Arthur’s stay as comfortable as possible. But it was easy for Ana to tell that some of them were getting anxious from 'having to hide'. After decades of living in hiding, not all the Narnians were happy with the King’s command. But Ana was able to explain that it was a diplomatic issue between the two kingdoms. With Arthur being a King against magic, they needed to be cordial hosts and not overwhelm him. They understood, and agreed, but still disliked having to hide who they were. 

“It’s not fair,” Trumpkin told Ana as they walked down the corridors. They were careful to stay out the ones frequented by Arthur and his men.  
”I know. But it’s for our protection just as much as theirs,” Ana assured him. “Caspian doesn’t want us scaring Arthur or his men into doing something rash and hurting someone. We need to give them space. And we get to avoid the glares and stares of disapproval from people who don’t understand, could never understand.”  
“I heard his majesty asked if you would escort them to the border,” Trumpkin changed the subject, seeming to understand the reasons.  
“Yes,” she said with a frown.  
“I take you don’t want to go.”  
”I’m supposed to stay with Caspian and keep an eye out for threats. But since he’ll be in the castle—the safest place he could probably be—I can’t use that as an excuse.”  
“Okay... but why are you so hesitant to do so?”  
“Because I don’t want to lie to them. I can’t escort them to the border if they don’t know what I am. I’m tired of hiding who I am, just like all the Narnians.”  
”You want to tell them?”

Ana nodded. She definitely didn't want to keep concealing her true nature either. Having spent the first 100 years of her life was hard enough. Then she was free to be herself for almost two decades before she was forced to hide a part of her again. A part that got her hurt and would’ve killed her if not for Aslan. So having to keep part of her a secret was weighing on her, but nothing like the Narnians. They couldn’t just hide a part of themselves; they had to hide completely. 

“But in doing so,” Ana continued, “there’s a good chance they won’t want me to go with them. Doing that forces Caspian to either make me go anyway or send one of the less qualified men. He can’t spare the Generals right now.”  
“You don’t think they’d try to kill you, do you?”  
“No... I get the sense that they’re honorable men. Even though a lot of them seem uncomfortable here, they’ve restrained themselves of any negative comments. Arthur’s servant seems very intrigued with the magic, though he’s been trying to hide it from the others,” Ana added as an afterthought. “They’re not the kind of people to kill a magical creature who hasn’t done them any harm in a place where magic is allowed.”  
“So there’s really no problem then,” Trumpkin surmised. “Except for the reluctance to leave the castle.”  
“I just have this feeling that something bad is going to happen,” she said as they reached the courtyard.  
“You should stay close to his majesty, then. Your feelings aren’t known for being wrong.” Trumpkin gave a small bow. “I’m afraid I must leave you now. Important matters to attend to,” he said before departing and heading across the courtyard. Ana didn’t have time to wave goodbye because she was interrupted by Caspian calling her name. Trumpkin must’ve seen him coming and took his leave, though Ana didn’t doubt he did have important things to do.  
“There you are,” Caspian said as he approached. Arthur and his men were trailing behind him. “I was just telling King Arthur that you agreed to escort them to the border.”  
Ana’s brows furrowed in confusion for a moment but when she saw the pleading look on Caspian’s face she said, “Yes. As long as they don’t mind a child,” she told him.  
Arthur looked a bit embarrassed and Caspian smiled in relief. “Excellent. They’d like to leave within the hour.”  
“I can be ready at any time. I’ll just need to talk to Amari first.”

Arthur spoke and Caspian responded, but Ana wasn’t listening. Her eyes were frantically searching the surrounding area. Merlin was doing much the same thing, glancing behind him as if expecting an attack. They both had felt the change, a result of their magic, that told them something wasn’t right. Ana found the problem first, since she wasn’t trying to seem unconcerned and didn’t have to worry about hiding her magic. She didn’t even notice Merlin looking around as well. Luckily, it wasn’t a threat to either King but it was a problem.

Two men were foolishly sparring in the courtyard. One of the men dodged a blow but tripped and fell into a man loading his horse-drawn cart. This startled both the man and the horse, who reared, and both took off down the path leading into town—the man chasing his horse, while the horse fled in terror. Many people dodged the loose horse, falling into various stalls or other people. The straps tying the horse to the cart came undone when the horse turned a corner, sending the cart and the horse in different directions. The cart went careening towards a small child who was playing in the road. Her mother was distracted and hadn’t realized their child was not beside them. 

Ana saw all this and knew the cart’s final destination. Not thinking of shouting at the child or the mother, she simply felt herself transform. Her magic rose up in response and small flames that started at her feet quickly consumed her entire body. In her place was a phoenix, instead of a human. 

Within seconds of the transformation, she flew just over the heads of both Kings and headed towards the marketplace. She thought about trying to stop the cart but knew that would be a futile effort, and instead moved passed it. Reaching the child just moments before the cart, Ana snatched her up and pulled back as the mother turned and the cart flew past, slamming into a wall further down the street. Only then did Ana release the child who ran to her mother. 

“Oh, thank you!” the mother cried, hugging her child tight.

Ana quickly transformed back and nodded to the mother. Then she slowly made her way back to the courtyard. Arthur and his men had turned their backs on Ana when they heard the commotion and as such hadn’t actually seen her transform. They had only noticed the bird once it flew over their heads. Merlin had, since he had been looking for a threat, and barely managed to conceal his surprise. However once the bird returned to its human form, the others realized Ana wasn’t standing behind them. So when she returned, they stared at her with something akin to horror and fear. 

Ana’s eyes flicked from Caspian to Arthur and her face was a bit flushed—whether, from embarrassment or excitement, no one knew.   
“Sire,” she said, giving a small bow. Then she moved past them and went inside, leaving Arthur and his men shocked in her wake. 

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

“Absolutely not,” Ana heard as she approached the council room. After the incident outside, Ana had left the two Kings to talk. She knew it was best to stay out of it but she had been summoned shortly after arriving in Amari’s chambers.  
“I only agreed to have her escort us because you assured me she was the best,” Arthur was saying. “But she has magic. I can’t trust it. Can’t trust _ her _.”  
“But why?” Caspian was almost pleading.

Arthur started to answer but when he saw Ana in the doorway, he stopped. He crossed his arms and his face became stoic and emotionless. His eyes showed hurt though and Ana briefly cast her gaze to the ground for making him hate magic more. She did notice Merlin’s sympathetic smile when she looked back up. 

“I think I can answer that,” Ana said. “Stop me if I’m getting it wrong, your majesty.” She cleared her throat as if preparing for a long explanation. “He can’t trust magic because he’s only seen it hurt and destroy people. He’s had so many sorcerers attack him or someone close to him with magic. To him, magic is evil because the people who wield it have used it for evil things. And he’s right,” here Caspian looked ready to protest. “Let me finish. Magic is evil because people let it consume them. They’re not evil because they have magic, but because of what they let it turn them into. Magic is tempting, a powerful weapon that can get a person what they want. If they’re weak, that temptation starts to consume them until they are nothing but a shadow of their old self. But if they’re strong and can resist it, you’ll see that there’s beauty in it. I’ve seen magic steal, kill, and destroy. But I’ve also seen it heal, save, and protect. Magic is a weapon. In the wrong hands, it brings nothing but pain and suffering. But in the right hands, it can be used as a force for good. Just like the swords you carry can be used for good and evil, so can magic.”   
“I—“ Arthur began but seemed to struggle to find the right words.  
“I’m not telling this to change your mind. I understand that you can’t trust me because you believe my magic is evil. It could be, but I choose to use it for good. I didn’t choose to have it and at one time, I tried everything I could to get rid of it. But I couldn’t. Later, realized that I was getting rid of a gift, the very thing that made me special. I was trying to give it up and corrupt something beautiful,” she trailed off. “I understand your hatred of magic and anyone who chooses to practice it. But everyone born here was born with magic. None of us chose it. I just want you to understand us as well.”  
”You were going to tell them!” Caspian surmised, a bit angry.  
“Well, I wasn’t just going to go without telling them!” Ana exclaimed. “What if something happens? Then we would have to have this discussion in the middle of the woods. The result would be me having to leave them and stalk them until they got to the border. See, when you force someone to say yes before they have a chance to explain things, the situation gets complicated.” She crossed her arms just to show her disapproval.  
“You were the only one I trust that I could spare,” Caspian explained.  
“Guess you’re going to have to find someone else.” Her tone indicated that she was not happy with the way things had happened.   
“You knew he wouldn’t want you to go!”   
“I assumed so, yes. Hence why I was hesitating to do anything. Then you cornered me in the courtyard and I really didn’t have a choice.”  
“Look,” Arthur interrupted, seeing that there was tension between the two. “We can make it to the border by ourselves. We don’t need an escort.”  
“See? They’ll be fine. Besides, they’re all trained warriors. There’s nothing they won’t be able to handle,” Ana agreed. Arthur looked surprised but quickly put his mask back on.  
“No,” Caspian told the fair-haired king, voice indicating that there would be no argument. “While we understand your disapproval, some of the Narnians aren’t as understanding. That happens when you’ve been forced to hide who you are for decades. There’s a chance that some of them could try to take out their anger of the situation on you.” He paused and sighed. “I needed someone who the Narnians would listen to and respected: Ana. I knew you wouldn’t allow Glenstorm, and General Thaddeus is busy with another assignment, so she was the best option.”  
“Reassign Thaddeus then,” Ana huffed, not quite sure why he wouldn’t nor did she know what he was doing. She did outrank both Generals so she could do whatever it was instead.  
“I can’t..." Caspian told her with a look that caused Ana to frown. Whatever he was thinking, Ana knew she wasn’t going to like it. She opened her mouth to speak but the king answered her silent question when he spoke instead. "I suppose that means I’ll have to escort you.”


	4. What Happened Before - Captured

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ana makes a choice.

“What?” Ana asked, shocked. “You’re the King...”   
“Yes, perfectly aware of that,” Caspian said. His tone was sarcastic.   
“What I meant was... the King doesn’t escort people,” Ana responded.   
“He does when there’s no one else who can. And no, you’re not coming with me.” Ana frowned but said nothing. “And no following us once we leave either.”   
“I had no intention of doing so,” Ana retorted, bitterly. When he sent her a skeptical look, she elaborated. “They don’t want me there. You’re all good fighters so I shouldn’t be needed.” Ana knew he didn’t believe her when he arched his eyebrow. He knew her too well. Frustrated, she blurted: “I swear, in the name of Aslan, that I will not leave this castle with the intent to follow you.”   
Caspian was shocked but nodded his head. “Thank you.” To Arthur and his men, he said: “I suppose you’ll want to leave soon?”   
“Yes,” Arthur nodded.   
“How do we know she won’t follow us?” Leon asked, still skeptical of Ana.   
“Because Ana swore in Aslan’s name.”   
“What exactly does that mean?” Elyan questioned.   
“If she breaks that promise, she’ll suffer consequences. Aslan is very wise and a powerful force for good. But he can be dangerous and an unconquerable enemy to those who stand against Narnia. He's the one true king of Narnia. We all have faith in him and obey him absolutely.” 

Arthur raised his eyebrows marginally as if he didn’t believe the king’s words. “What is he? A sorcerer? We’ve defeated sorcerers before.”    
“Arthur,” Merlin whispered in what sounded like a warning.    
“It wasn’t a threat, King Arthur,” Caspian raised his arms placatingly. “Aslan is not like any sorcerer you’ve faced. I can assure you of that.” 

The other knights said nothing, but Caspian noted they gripped their swords tighter. Whether it was because they were frightened or feeling threatened, he couldn’t tell. Their faces were blank and emotionless. But they had asked, and they needed to know that Aslan was not a force to be reckoned with.    
“When any Narnian, or Telmarine for that matter, swears in Aslan’s name it is something they will not break. To do so means to bring His wrath upon them, and that’s not something Ana will risk.” 

By the time he turned back to Ana, she was already gone. She took Caspian’s thank you as a dismissal and left the council room, furious. Against her better judgment, she was about to let Caspian leave the castle unprotected. Sure, she knew Merlin had magic and would likely try to prevent anything from happening to him, but Caspian was her responsibility.

She had been angry with him and had agreed to everything he said. Now, no matter what she did, Ana couldn’t go after him. It was stupid of her to make a promise in such a way. “ _ Stupid, idiotic _ ” she muttered to herself as she walked down the hall. She soon found herself at the physician’s chambers and stopped just outside the door.

Before Ana could knock, the door opened to reveal an elderly woman with long, braided silver hair. There were strands of hair falling out of the braid in some places, indicating the woman had been hard at work. She held the door open with one hand and in her other was a bag. The woman had a kind yet stoic face and she smiled when she saw who was on the other side of the door.

”Ana, you’re back. Is everything okay now?” she questioned.   
”No, Amari. Everything is not okay,” she told the physician.   
”Oh? What happened?” She stepped aside to allow Ana in.    
“I’ve been an idiot, is what happened,” as she entered the physician’s chambers.   
“I’m sure that’s not true,” the woman tried to soothe. “What did the King want?”   
“It’s not what he wanted per se, but rather what he wished to discuss. You see, I was supposed to escort our guests to the border but after the little display outside, King Arthur decided it would be better if I didn’t go. I understood, of course. But Caspian was upset because he couldn’t send anyone else. So, instead of reassigning Thaddeus, he’s decided to escort them himself!”   
”Oh... I see.”   
“And like an idiot, I agreed!” She flung her hands in the air as she paced about the center of the room. “I was just so frustrated with the whole thing, that I grew angry. Now  I can’t follow them either. How am I supposed to protect him if I can’t even be there?”   
“I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Amari said, trying to pacify Ana. “It’s a trip to the border. Should take four, five days at most. What could happen?”   
“Lots of things could happen…” Ana said helplessly, sitting in the nearest chair. “There’s so much strife and tension between the Narnians and Telmarines. They’re not all accepting of each other and a lot of Telmarines are angry with Caspian. Plus, I just have this feeling that something bad is gonna happen.”   
“Well you never know until it does,” she told her. When she saw it had no effect, she sighed. “I suppose you didn’t come here to have me convince you that everything will be fine. I was about to garner some herbs. My supply was getting low and I found myself with time to spare. Seeing as there’s nothing you can do, would you like to come with? It’s not much, but it might just be a welcome distraction. Seems like you could use it.”   
“Thanks, Amari,” Ana smiled and headed for the door. “I’d be only happy to accompany you.”   
The physician smiled and followed Ana out. “We should ask Cachi too. With his majesty gone, he’ll need something to do.”   
“He’s probably helping Caspian right now, but we can see,” Ana agreed.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

Ana and Amari made their way to the forest. Cachi had agreed to me e t them once he made sure Caspian had no more need of him. As it turned out, Caspian had been quite prepared to escort their guest s and had Cachi gathering his things after the courtyard incident. So by the time they had asked, the boy was almost done and just needed to get them to the courtyard for the King’s abrupt departure. Ana had volunteered to give him a hand but he had declined.

So she went with Amari instead and they promised to wait near the edge of woods for a bit. While they were waiting for Cachi, Ana heard the sound of hooves and moved out of sight, trying to signal to Amari to do the same. She had a good idea who they were, especially coming from the direction of the castle, but she didn’t want to take any chances.

When the two Kings approached with the Knights and Merlin in tow, Ana no longer needed to hide. She went to move, but thought against it, not having anything else to say. Caspian’s eyes sought out the treeline where the two were hiding as he passed. It was almost as if he knew they were there. Then they rode on and disappeared further into the woods.

"Well, I suppose Cachi will be on his way soon,” Amari announced shortly after the group had disappeared.   
”Yes, but we can get started,” Ana told her. “We can find quite a few without wandering too deep into the forest.” Amari nodded and the two set out looking for herbs. 

An hour later, and the three were almost done gathering Amari’s herbs. They had wasted a bit of time chatting and laughing instead of searching, but Amari thought it was worth it. She thought Ana was too stressed and poor Cachi looked exhausted. This gave them a chance to relax and take a break, so she didn’t care so much about getting the herbs quickly. However, after being gone from the castle for quite a while Amari was needing to get back so she hurried to gather the last few on her list. 

“All I need now is some hazelwort,” she muttered.   
“That’s usually found deeper in the woods,” Ana said.   
“Let’s go get it then,” Cachi grinned already heading further in.   
“Why don’t you let me get that,” Ana told both of them. At their puzzled looks, she continued. “It’s getting kind of late and Amari’s been gone for a while. They could need you. The two of you should head back. I’ll get the hazelwort and catch up to you. Shouldn’t take me too long as I've gotten it before.”   
”That’s a good idea,” Amari agreed. “We’ll meet you back at the castle.” 

With that, Ana headed deeper into the forest while Amari and Cachi headed to the castle. It only took Ana a few minutes to find the herb, having found it before, and she was heading back. On her way, she noticed something felt off. She tucked the herb away so she could grab her bow at a moments notice. If she had to transform, the herb wouldn’t survive but she had more important things to worry about. Ana didn’t hear or see anything unusual on her way back and started to think she was just being paranoid.

It wasn’t until she almost reached the edge of the woods, that she figured it out. In a clearing Amari’s bag of herbs was on the ground, its contents mostly inside with a few herbs strewn across the dirt. It was clear she had dropped it. Ana’s eyes scanned the area as she grabbed her bow and knocked an arrow. She listened for any sounds as she took a few steps into the clearing.

”I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” came a voice from behind her, to her right. They didn’t appear, but Ana didn’t need them to. “You see, you may kill me or even a few of my men. But your two friends will die unless you put down your weapon.”

Ana hesitated in shooting him, unsure if he was bluffing. The man’s voice gave away his location but she had no idea where Cachi and Amari were. As if to answer her unspoken question, two bandits appeared on opposite sides of the clearing. They each held a dagger at their captives’ throat.

“You’re skilled enough to take the shot and save one of them,” the man said, showing his face for the first time. “But the other will die. Unless you drop your weapons, you cannot save them both.”   
“How do I know you won’t just kill them when I do?” Ana questioned, not budging.   
“Don’t do it, Ana!” the physician cried out before her mouth was covered.   
“I have no need for them or a reason to kill them. They’re simply a means to get to you. Their fate lies in your hands,” a man who was clearly the leader warned.

Ana didn’t trust him, but she didn’t have much choice. After a moment’s hesitation, she lowered her bow and gently set it on the ground along with the arrow she held. Then she carefully removed the quiver from her back and put it down as well. The leader nodded in approval.

“And the dagger,” he reminded. Ana complied and carefully removed the dagger from her waist and the one from her boot. The bandit’s eyes rose marginally, clearly not expecting the second one. “Very good. Talbot!”

At the man’s order, a large stocky man made his way from the woods and grabbed Ana’s arms. He pulled them behind her back and held her wrists tightly. Ana didn’t struggle, didn’t bother to until they released Amari and Cachi. The leader nodded and the daggers were removed from their necks. But then the bandits subsequently brought the hilts down on the back of their heads, knocking them out. Ana let out a cry of shock and glared at the leader.

“I didn’t say they would be unharmed,” he shrugged. “They’ll run straight to the castle and I need a little more time than that.” With that statement, Ana felt a sharp pain on the back of her head right before everything went dark. 


	5. What Happened Before - A Sticky Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ana’s decision leads to the Kings’ capture.

Ana awoke to swaying and a killer headache. Keeping her eyes close as to prevent the sunlight from making it worse, she tried to recall what happened. She soon realized with the abrupt swaying that she was tied to a horse. It was that realization that had allowed her to piece together what exactly caused her to be in this situation.

When Ana opened her eyes, she saw the ground and realized they were moving quickly. After knocking her out, they had tied her across a horse’s flank and took off. She had no indication of how long they had been gone and how far they had traveled while she was unconscious. She moved her head to try and get a better view of where she was and instantly regretted it. Not only did it aggravate her headache, but it told the bandits she was awake.

“I was beginning to worry,” the leader’s familiar voice said. Ana couldn’t see him from her position, but she knew he was in front of her. “I thought Talbot had hit you too hard.” The horses slowed to a trot and then a walk. “This would’ve been a little bit more difficult with you unconscious, but we could’ve managed.”   
“What do you want?” Ana ground out.   
“It’s not what we want... It’s what someone else wants,” the leader said as he stopped his horse and jumped from the saddle. Ana could hear the sound of several other men doing the same as their leader.   
“Someone paid you to kidnap me?” Ana asked, confused. Who would go to such lengths for her?   
“Not you,” the leader said, his feet finally coming into Ana’s view. “You’re just going to help me get who I was paid to.”   
Ana paused for a moment, letting that sink in. “No! I will not help you capture the King!”   
"You should have thought of that before you came with me so willingly," he mocked, motioning a bandit forward. He began to untie the ropes securing Ana to the horse. “Because while I would prefer you alive, I do not need you to be. If you do not cooperate, my men have orders to do whatever it takes. Your death only complicates things a bit for me. So, what's it gonna be?"

Ana wasn't sure how to answer. She couldn't just do nothing and let them capture Caspian, but she also knew the man was serious. He would kill her if he had to and she wasn't keen on dying. However, if it was the best way to save Caspian, she would. Given her current situation, her death wouldn’t guarantee Caspian’s safety.

Taking Ana’s silence negatively, the leader sighed. “I don’t think you understand exactly what I mean. Let me show you...”

  
With a nod of his head, a bandit out of her view grabbed her untied arm. He began to pull it straight out and then lift it at an angle it shouldn’t bend. Ana’s eyes grew wide as she realized what the bandit was going to do and immediately started to struggle the best she could. She let out a hiss of pain as the bandit pulled a little higher and then stopped.

“Now, you can either cooperate or be a downed bird,” the leader hissed. Ana was surprised at the comment and immediately stopped, causing the leader to chuckle. “We’ve been watching you for awhile. Ever since your guests showed up at the castle. We saw your display in the courtyard...”   
”Alright. I’ll cooperate,” Ana stated through gritted teeth. She was trying hard not to cry out at the strain on her arm. She realized that this wasn’t just about Caspian; these bandits wanted Arthur as well. She was loathe to be the reason for the others’ capture, but she didn’t quite feel like dealing with a broken arm. Briefly, she thought about transforming and getting free when the leader spoke again.    
“Good,” he told her, nodding his head to another bandit. “But just to be sure you don’t try using your magic, I think we best put these on.” 

At his words, Ana saw that bandit bring the leader a set of cuffs. She could feel the magic radiating from them and tried to struggle. It wasn’t a good kind of magic. The bandit still had a firm grip on her arm so she wasn’t able to move very far. Yet, this was the best chance she got. There was no time, she had to be quick despite her limited movements. Just as she was about to transform, the metal cuff was slammed over her restrained arm, which caused her to scream. That provided enough time for them to bring her arms in front and restrain her other wrist. Her head was reeling from the loss of magic but she bit her lip to keep from crying out again.

The leader chuckled cruelly. “These keep your magic in... If you so much as think about using it, well the pain will be beyond imaginable. You’d wish you were dead,” he sneered. “Get her up!” he shouted and Ana found herself being shifted upright on the horse.

A bandit climbed up behind her and they rode fast, deeper into the forest. Every movement made her head worse and she knew some of it was because of the cuffs. She would need to figure a way out of them and fast. Otherwise Ana was completely powerless to stop these men.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

Less than an hour later, the company came to a halt and the riders dismounted. Ana did her best to struggle as she was pulled from the horse, but it only caused her to fall into the dirt. The men laughed and leered as she was pulled to her feet and shoved into the leader. He placed a tight grip on her shoulder as he ordered his men to search the area.

One of the men returned after a few moments, reporting that he had found where the royal party had stopped. Though she couldn’t see his face, she felt the leader’s grin. He whistled what sounded like a bluejay’s call—Ana noted—and the rest of his men came back. Ana realized that the two Kings and their men wouldn’t hear the bandits coming and they would be surrounded.

As the bandits moved to surround the royal camp, Ana tried to come with a plan. She began to struggle against the leader, hoping to make enough noise to alert the others. The leader realized her intentions and gestured Talbot over. Just as she was about to shout a warning, a dagger was placed on the corner of her right eye. She froze, knowing one wrong move could bring about disastrous results.

“Not a word out of you,” the leader hissed into Ana’s ear. “Or Talbot here might drop his blade. And we wouldn’t want that, would we?”

He jerked his head and the bandits began to move forward again. Ana was forced to walk carefully or lose an eye. She didn’t even think to speak, too frightened that the leader would follow through on his threat.

On what Ana assumed was the outskirts of the camp, the bandits stopped and quietly withdrew their blades. “Remember now… we need them all alive but not necessarily unharmed. Hopefully they’ll come without a fight,” the leader whispered with a glance at Ana.

Heart racing, Ana tried to come up with a plan. She couldn’t just let her King be captured. Caspian would surrender to save her life and if the others were honorable, they would do the same. She didn’t want to be the cause of their capture, especially since these men were likely to kill her once she was no longer useful. They said they didn’t need her, right? So she was just a means to capture two Kings and some Knights with as little lives lost as possible. What if they killed her as soon as they surrendered? 

Ana almost didn’t notice they stopped. The bandits moved to surround the camp and they moved forward again, except for the leader and Talbot. They were too far back for Ana to see anything, but she knew this wouldn’t turn out well. Throwing caution into the wind, she decided her life—or possibly just the loss of an eye—was forfeit if it saved the others.

She quickly took advantage of a brief moment during which Talbot had withdrawn his blade a little farther from her eye.  “Run! It’s a trap. Caspian—“ she shouted only to be sharply cut off with a slap from the leader. She was lucky Talbot withdrew his blade from her eye,  knowing full well that his leader would prefer to punish her himself for her disobedience. 

The slap sent her reeling once more. Her cheeked burned and she realized the leader must’ve been wearing a ring because she felt the blood from the cut it made. She was so out of it that she didn’t even hear the clanging of swords and sounds of fighting until she was brought into the clearing. Holding back tears from the pain in her head, made worse by the slap, Ana tried to focus on the fighting. She needed to know what had happened.

“Unless Your Majesty wishes to see his precious little _bird_ dead,” the leader spoke loudly, “I would drop your weapons right now.” 

The comment caused Caspian to whirl around, sword at the ready. His eyes fell on the leader and then on the bandit holding Ana. Immediately, his eyes were drawn to the dagger located too close to Ana’s right eye. His face was emotionless but his eyes flashed from anger to worry as Ana struggled to focus on him and everyone else. The others froze and tried to find the source of the voice while keeping an eye on the bandits. Ana spotted Merlin looking at her with concern from between the Knights. The bandits made no move forward, but no one lowered their swords.

“I won’t ask again,” the leader told him. As if to prove his point, Ana felt the dagger near her eye press the slightest bit closer and she stiffened. She regretted it immediately as Caspian’s face softened and he dropped his sword.   
“No…” Ana whispered.   
The leader smiled and turned to the others. “Should I have Talbot remove her eye or are you going to surrender as well?” The Knights looked to Arthur who hesitated for a moment before dropping his sword. The others followed suit and the bandits moved in to grab them.   
“Let her go,” Caspian pleaded as the bandits pulled his arms tightly behind his back. He didn’t struggle though.   
“I think not,” the leader tsked. 

He placed a hand on the hilt of his sword and Caspian caught a glimpse of his ring. His eyes darkened as they glanced at ring size cut on Ana’s cheek. The action only caused the bandit to grin more.

“Bring them!” the leader commanded his men and each was brought past Ana, who was frozen on the spot.   
“I thought…” Caspian whispered as he was pushed past her. “I thought it was you, but I told myself it couldn’t be.”   
“I’m sorry,” she managed to get out. But she realized there was one thing Caspian needed to know. “I didn’t follow you. I swear. I—“ she shouted after him but was cut off when Talbot shoved her back in the direction they had come from. 


	6. A Threat Puts Ana in Danger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is the first of the darker chapters. There’s a close call for an attempted assault but nothing happens and nothing will happen. Just a warning for you all.

A bandit with a scar on his cheek approached the captives, a blade in hand. The men immediately sat up straighter, unable to get to their feet quickly. They half expected him to approach Ana so when he walked towards them instead, they relaxed a bit. He headed towards Merlin though and Arthur stiffened.

“What are you doing?” he asked.  
“You wanna eat, don’t you?” he asked. At their lack of answer, he stated, “Can’t very well do that with your hands behind your back.”  
“You need a dagger for that, do you?” Arthur questioned, keeping the concern out of his voice.  
“It isn’t for him. It’s for you,” he retorted, moving towards Merlin. “It’s to make sure you all cooperate. Darren!” he shouted to one of the bandits, “get over here and help me!” One of the shorter, but fit and strong, bandits approached the group of captives. As the one with the dagger headed towards Merlin, Arthur spoke up again.  
“You can let him go. He’s just a servant. You have no use for him.”  
"Arthur,” Merlin warned with a low voice. There was no way he was leaving.  
“Actually, we need him... You see, we were paid to capture all of you, servants and Knights included. We’re just saving the girl for a bit of fun,” his smile was cruel and Ana’s eyes flashed with fear for a brief moment before being hidden.

The bandit pulled Merlin up by the scruff of his neck and turned him around so he was facing the captives. Holding the dagger close to his eye, the other bandit approached the Knight closest to where Merlin had been sitting, Elyan. He began to slowly untie the ropes as the bandit holding Merlin spoke.

“Now, we have to bring you alive, but not unharmed. If you don’t cooperate the boy will lose an eye. Or something else. Got it?”   
When none of the men protested, Darren grabbed Elyan by his arm and pulled him towards the fire. “Only one at a time. Can’t have you thinking you can overpower us.”

They were served their food in bowls, with no utensils. But since it was soup it was easy to drink it. They weren’t given a whole lot to eat and they could quickly move on to the next person. The bandits would tie up the man who just ate before untying the next. The whole time, the blade never left Merlin’s face. Arthur was the last of his men to go and he watched the bandit with a careful eye as he ate. The blade was steady but dangerously close. Like with Ana, there was no way to dislodge it without the risk of Merlin losing his eye.

Caspian ate after Arthur, their order chosen by the bandits. When he had finished and was restrained, the bandit released Merlin and allowed him to eat in much the same way. Then he too was taken away from the fire and tied back up. The bandit began to walk away but stopped, remembering Ana. He glanced between her and Darren, asking a silent question. Darren just shrugged in response, obviously not knowing if they were supposed to feed her too. Ana didn't expect much from them—after all, they didn't need her alive—and decided she wouldn't be surprised either way. Caspian, however, was very displeased with their hesitation.

"You’re going to feed the ones who are strong enough to fight back yet not feed her?” he questioned. “She’s less of a threat than we are!” Ana frowned but said nothing since her current predicament made his statement very true.  
“The boss doesn’t always like us feeding sorcerers and the like,” Darren said. “As punishment for magic.”  
“It’s not like she chose it!” Caspian responded angrily. He always thought Ana was too thin and he wanted her to eat while she could. They had no idea how often they would be fed.  
“The boss didn’t say so...” the other bandit replied, walking away. “No need to feed the freak.”

He walked away with a smirk on his face as Merlin seemed to flinch at the bandits’ words. The others in his company, even Arthur, stiffened but their faces were blank so Ana couldn’t tell what the action meant. The comment only made Caspian angry.

“Hey!” he shouted, with the intent of saying more but he was stopped by Ana’s voice.  
“Don’t, please,” she pleaded with him. “I’ve been called a lot worse. He’s just saying it to get a rise out of you and you’re _letting_ him.”  
“Didn’t you hear what he said?”  
“I did. But didn’t you hear what I said? This is not the first time someone has called me names. They’ve been a lot worse than that. He's purposefully antagonizing you and you're falling for it. He _enjoys _it. Save your strength, and anger, for another time.”  
Caspian settled. “Alright... I can do that. But it’s still not fair that we get to eat and you don’t.”  
“Life’s never been fair to me,” she told him. He frowned at her comment and Ana noticed some of the others’ faces fell as well. “They’ll probably kill me before I die of hunger. I can live just fine without food for a few days.”  
“You’re not going to die here. Not like this. Not in the hands of these..._men_,” he promised, though the word tasted bitter coming out of his mouth. They were not men.

She sent him a small smile but turned her head away to observe the bandits, effectively ending the conversation. It was clear she wasn’t convinced and Caspian was sure he was either. He swore in Aslan’s name that he would make good on his promise. He had too.

Five of the bandits were nominated for watch and as such weren’t allowed to participate in the evening events, needing to stay sober and alert. Ana didn’t know what they were celebrating, but given the large amount of drinks being brought out, she assumed something was happening. Maybe it was their capture. Either way, she was prepared for a long night.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

The chains felt cold and heavy on Ana's wrists. She was tired and could feel the phoenix literally draining from her. She was dying, slowly, and only she knew. Every hour she seemed to grow weaker and it was getting harder to pretend that everything was fine. She suspected Merlin knew something was wrong but while Caspian seemed concerned, he didn’t appear to know she was sick.

As the night dragged on, Ana felt herself getting colder. It was an unusual feeling for her. Ever since she had accepted the phoenix as a part of her, she hadn’t really felt the sting of cold. Sure, she bundled up for winter but it was never as cold for her as it was for everyone else. But now, with the phoenix slowly fading away, she was starting to feel it.

It was all because of the cuffs. They had strange markings, ruins she recalled, on them. They were the markings for the language of magic. Though Ana couldn’t read it very well, she knew what they did. She had seen them on magical creatures before. Every Narnian who had worn them for too long died. They cut off a person’s magic, or the creature from the very magic they were born with. Sorcerers had been known to survive, but Ana knew that she wasn't likely to survive if she had to wear them for an extended period of time. Just like a Narnian, her magic was a part of her and cutting her off from it was sealing her fate. She supposed the only positive aspect was that Merlin didn’t have them on. It would be hard for him to lie his way out of them, whereas everyone already knew about her.

Ana guessed that the bandits had no idea of what exactly the cuffs did. All they knew was that they would keep her in check, keep her magic at bay. Not that it mattered if they did. With Caspian a little ways off, but too far for Ana to actually protect, she wouldn’t risk anything. Merlin could help her out, but only if it didn’t mean revealing himself. Ana would never ask him to because if the men had another set of chains, they would be in trouble. It was best to let him move on his own terms, even if it meant she died before he could.

One of the bandits approached Ana while the others remained around the fire. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw both Kings and the Knights snap to attention. They were close enough to hear what was said as long as there was no whispering, but too far away to intervene. The only thing they could do was shout to draw their attention.

The bandit was drunk, unable to even walk in a straight line. He approached the tree Ana was leaned against and smiled crookedly at her. One hand was placed on the tree to support himself. Ana immediately furrowed her brows, concerned with the bandit's intentions. When he leaned forward to speak, she had to look away to avoid gagging at the stench.

“It true what they say 'bout you?” he purred. “That you can’t wait to h’ve some fun?”  
“What?” Ana asked, even more confused.  
“Heard how you’d sleep with any man who’s willing to pay for it,” he cooed, drunkenly.  
“No!” Ana answered appalled. She couldn’t even see the others now to know what they were thinking.  
“Really?”  
“Look,” Ana began, hesitantly, “I don’t know who you’ve been talking to but they’ve told you wrong. That’s not me. I would never—_never_—do that.”  
“That’s too bad...” he responded, but Ana didn’t dare look relieved until he backed away. “I suppose only one of us gets to have fun now.”

With that, he grabbed Ana by the arm and pulled her away from the tree. Ana gasped in surprise but let out a yelp as she was tossed unceremoniously on the ground a few feet away. She was unable to catch herself due to the chains and collapsed in a heap. Someone was shouting but Ana couldn’t hear what was said over the beating of her own heart. As the man approached, Ana knew exactly what was gonna happen and felt terrified, paralyzed by fear she hadn’t really felt before. When the bandit was right in front of her, she felt the phoenix come rushing up, rushing to protect but it was stopped by the cuffs. Ana screamed in pain and felt her body start to seize before everything went black.

When the bandit had approached Ana, all of the other captives sat up. Caspian noticed that she looked a little pale and perhaps tired but otherwise seemed fine. But the bandit’s interest in the most helpless of all the captives made him, and apparently everyone else, nervous. He listened to the conversation between the two with a sinking feeling. After the bandit's first words, he knew what the intent was but he realized Ana didn’t know. Perhaps she was too tired to process the danger or perhaps she was too innocent to see the threat. It didn’t really matter except that it wouldn’t be happening. He wouldn't let it.

Caspian immediately started shouting, trying to get to his feet when Ana was tossed like she weighed nothing. He realized that the others seemed to be shouting as well. “Stop! Leave her alone! You coward!” were all thrown out to grab his attention. Anything to get the bandit’s attention off Ana. But nothing seemed to work. As the bandit approached Caspian saw fear on Ana’s face. She had finally realized the danger and the fact that she was basically powerless to stop it.

“Use your magic! Ana!” he shouted at her but she didn’t seem to hear. In his desperation, he had forgotten what the bandits had said earlier about the cuffs.

When the bandit came to a halt in front of her, Caspian made to barrel him over. But before he could do anything else, Ana let out a piercing cry of pain, drawing the attention of the other bandits who had so-far remained oblivious. He watched as her body began to convulse and shake on the ground. Caspian noticed with concern that any visible skin started to turn red-orange and the bandit jumped back as if burnt. But just as suddenly as it happened, it stopped. She stopped moving, her skin returned to normal and the camp fell silent. But Ana didn’t even appear to be breathing.


	7. The Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the bandit’s attack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no experience with drunk people and therefore have no idea how to write them so please bare with me on this...

"What's going on?!" the leader shouted as he approached the scene. "What did you do, Borris?"  
"Me?" the drunk bandit answered, pointing at himself and looking surprised. "I didn't do nothin’! She tried to run ‘n I stopped her."  
"That's not true!" Caspian shouted, trying to keep his fear and concern for Ana off his face.  
"You must've done something," the leader said to the bandit, ignoring the King's comment. He kneeled next to Ana. "Healthy people don't just scream and collapse for no reason. She's barely breathing."  
"I barely _touched _her," the bandit huffed, frustrated his night was ruined. "I didn't h’ve a chance to do anything 'cept knock her down before she went all... crazy."  
”It was your fault that happened!” Caspian accused, wanting to make sure she was alright.  
“Quiet!” the leader snapped at him.  
“He’s lying to you,” Caspian pleaded. “She wouldn’t run. She knows what’s at stake.”  
“Evidently not,” he said, causing the drunk bandit to smile in satisfaction. “Otherwise she wouldn’t have tried to use her magic to protect herself.” He held up one of Ana’s wrists and pulled the cuff back a bit to reveal burnt skin. “She screamed because she was being burned for trying to use magic. And there’s only one reason why she’d use it in a situation like this: Protection. Considering she’s only a few feet from her original spot and _his majesty_ is unharmed, it was for her protection.”  
“Ana’s not known to use it for her own sake...” Caspian said more to himself.  
The leader furrowed his brows, eyes still carefully examining Ana’s burnt skin. “Why would she hurt herself like that when she _knew _there’s no escaping the cuffs?” His gaze landed on Borris again, dangerous and stern. “You made a mess of things, didn’t you, Borris?”  
“What? Me? I didn’t do nothin’! I told you already!” Borris insisted with the passion of a guilty man, desperate to prove his non-existing innocence.  
“Oh, but you did. Don’t lie to me. You know what I do to liars,” there was a threat in his voice, one that made Borris shudder. Even in his drunken state, he knew not to enrage the leader. “Look at her hands!” the leader continued. “She wasn’t trying to escape, this was self-defense. _It _thought she was in danger so _it _rushed to help. Of course, she couldn’t actually transform with the cuffs on, that’s what caused the little display that ruined our otherwise pleasant night,” he surmised with a frown at his drunken companion.  
Borris swallowed, shakily. He suspected he was in trouble. “Talbot!” the leader shouted to the group. A burly man pushed his way forward. “Take the girl back to the tree. You’re on guard duty from now on. No one is allowed near her without you hearing from me directly, especially Borris.”  
“What? No! I didn’t do nothin’!” the drunk bandit insisted once again but the leader’s mind was already made. Caspian wasn’t sure if he should be relieved or not.  
“You did _something_,” the leader said. “I can’t have you ruining the merchandise…,” he turned to the captives and smiled cruelly, “...yet.”

As Ana was not-so-gently moved back to the tree, the leader stared down the men, daring them to move. Caspian remained standing until Ana was put back, relaxing only a bit. She hadn’t stirred during the whole process and that was a bit concerning. She was usually more aware of what was going on around her, even when she was asleep. The leader seemed to think that was troublesome as well.

“You had better hope she wakes up,” he lectured the drunkard as they made their way back.

An hour or so passed, and Ana still hadn't moved or awoken. Most of the captives had fallen asleep and most of the bandits had retired as well, except for the two on watch. Caspian was unable to sleep, no matter how hard he tried, because Ana hadn’t moved since her episode. As much as he wanted to hide his concern, he grew worried due to the leader’s words and Ana’s lack of response. He always saw her as a sister to him, ever since they met, and felt like he had to protect her. But she always seemed to be protecting him. This time, she couldn’t protect anyone and he felt guilty for allowing her to come to harm.

Sometime later, Caspian found himself falling into a restless sleep. His worries and guilt were projected into his dreams. He kept seeing Ana hurt, sometimes killed, because of him. But the worst was when they were all escorted away and she was left alone with the bandits. Caspian found himself waking in shock and glancing at the tree to confirm Ana was still there. Not knowing what would happen, only fear of their intentions, was much worse than knowing.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

_“Wake up, Ana,” a voice commanded._  
“I don’t want to,” she pleaded. “I don’t want the pain.”  
”The pain will be gone,” the voice soothed. “The Kings need you awake.” Ana only let out what sounded like a whimper in response. “It’ll be alright. I’m always watching. Nothing’s going to happen that I don't know about.”  
“You’re saying I’ll be fine?” she asked.  
“I’m saying there’s nothing you'll go through alone. I'm always with you.”  
“But...”  
“I’m sending you someone. Someone you'll be able to help. But only if you trust me.” Ana sighed in response. “Wake up, dear one. You’ll be alright,” the voice purred.

Ana awoke with a quiet moan. Thankfully, it was still dark and she wasn’t blinded by daylight. She let her eyes adjust before glancing around the camp. Her gaze fell on Caspian first, followed by Arthur and his men. She noticed Merlin didn't seem to be asleep—but she could understand why—before her eyes found what she assumed was a guard for her. It was then that she remembered the events that had forced her magic to rise up and she shuddered. The guard did tell her that the leader didn't want something like that to happen again. At least not yet.

As much as she tried to ignore it, she hadn't missed the looks all of the men kept sending in her direction. Frankly, she was surprised someone hadn't made a move sooner. There had been plenty of times throughout the day and she was thankful it hadn’t happened when she had been alone with them. At least with Caspian and the others around, they would’ve tried to intervene. Ana couldn’t recall if they had or not, but she knew Caspian wouldn’t stand for it.

She blamed the cuffs for making her too tired to process the threat until it was too late. It forced her magic to react against her wishes and now she felt worse. There was no pain, as promised, but she could barely feel the phoenix now and she was sure she was colder now than she had been before her episode.

"Are you alright?" Ana heard someone whisper and turned her head towards the guard. Seeing as he appeared to be asleep, she glanced at her captive friend.  
"Could be better," she answered.  
"That seemed to take a lot out of you," Merlin whispered.  
"It was a bit of a doozy," she said, smiling lightly. "But sometimes it takes a jolt of magic to remind you to fight back and not just take it."  
"You were gonna let him?"  
"Not _let _him... But I knew that trying to use magic would've resulted in me getting hurt and probably not stop him. Lucky for me, my magic has a tendency to react when I'm scared regardless of what I think about it. It happens sometimes when I’m angry too, but I have more control over it. Probably because when I’m afraid a part of me wants it to lash out. So when the phoenix tried to force itself out, it was doing whatever it took to protect me. Even if it unintentionally ended up killing me. It had one goal: eliminate the threat.” Merlin went to speak, but the guard next to Ana stirred and her eyes roamed between the two in a silent message. She waited for the guard to wake and when he didn't, she continued speaking. “You’ll look after him for me, won’t you?” She was almost pleading, needing to know the Caspian would be safe.  
"I’ll do what I can," Merlin told her.  
“They can’t know," Ana warned him. "Or else everything will get a whole lot worse. You have to be careful. I know Arthur comes first for you, but please...”  
"I'll look after him. You have my word," Merlin promised. "But do you not expect to go with us?"  
"I hope, but you heard what he said. I wasn't the one they were sent to get which means I'm here for another reason. They’ve been discussing the different things they could do with me since I was first captured. One can only hope in a situation like this."  
Merlin seemed to understand. "You should get some sleep."  
"I just woke up. Why don’t you sleep instead? I'll keep an eye out for a while. Should anything happen, I'll scream and wake everyone up," she assured him. "There are only a few hours until dawn anyway and you’re gonna need all the sleep you can get.”

Merlin nodded, seeming to agree. Then he situated himself as comfortably as he could. Within minutes, he was asleep and Ana cast her eyes around the camp. She could only hope she would stay with the rest of them, but if she didn’t she knew Caspian would be safe. That brought her a bit of reassurance and she leaned against the tree, watching for any signs of danger.

Everything was quiet, peaceful even given the circumstances. Listening to the soft wind blowing through the trees, Ana suddenly got an idea. She turned sideways against the tree so she could place her chained hands against the tree trunk. Her captured friends were behind her, to her left, while the bandit camp was in front. She figured this was the safest for what she was about to. It allowed her to keep an eye out for trouble while she tried to signal for help.

Ana tapped on the tree trunk with her knuckles and listened for any response. She was hoping to awake a dryad, as they could deliver the message quicker but few appeared since the Telmarine invasion. So she would settle for any animal who lived nearby, as long as someone responded. Most animals stayed out of sight when humans were near to avoid being hunted.

She kept rapping a simple pattern along the trunk, hoping it would draw the attention of something, any kind of creature that could get a message that the King was in trouble. No one knew that Caspian was in trouble so while they would look for her, she knew they’d hurry if the King was in danger. It was more important to bring back the King than it was her. Though Caspian and few others would disagree, the Kingdom couldn’t run without its king, but it could without her. She was determined to get the word out and bring help. And maybe, just maybe, she hoped they would come before anything bad happened to her or anyone else

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that since this is a work in progress some details are subject to change depending on what happens in later chapters. I will try to go back and fix them but I may not remember. For this chapter I’m mostly talking about “I’m sending you someone. Someone you'll be able to help.”


	8. A Dangerous Path

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their trip continues, but it isn't exactly safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that this chapter is so late. My editor and I both got busy and couldn't make changes or post. Anyways...

With the breaking of dawn, the bandits on watch began to wake their sleeping companions. Their captives stirred as well, and Ana glanced over to see Arthur wake first. He was alert almost immediately, eyes wandering around the camp before landing on Ana. His eyes widened at the realization that she was awake and watching him. She wasn't sure how to react to him as he still seemed leery of her, so she sent him a small smile. He looked prepared to say something but Caspian beat him to it.

"You're awake," he cried, relief in his voice. "Are you alright?"  
"I'm alright," she smiled, reassuringly. "As well as can be expected." She turned her gaze to the guard who was just now awakening.  
“Ah...” Caspian said, following her gaze, “the leader put him on guard duty so nothing like that happens again.”

Talbot stood and looked at Ana. Noting she was awake he glanced at the captives, who were all now also awake. Then he smiled and left his post to join the rest of the bandits. Ana’s brow furrowed slightly but she said nothing as she watched his retreating figure.

“He wasn’t doing much guarding,” she muttered to break the silence that had descended with the bandit's departure. The bandits were too busy taking down the camp than to worry about what their captives were talking about.  
Caspian frowned. “How long have you been awake?”  
“Long enough to watch the sunrise...”  
“Do not do that again,” he commanded and anyone else would’ve been a bit confused, but Ana knew right away what he was talking about.  
”I didn’t exactly have many options!” she hissed in anger. Holding up the cuffs, she explained: “These prevent me from accessing magic. Using it could’ve killed me, but given my options that one seemed more preferable! It had the additive of making him stop if I somehow managed to survive.” Caspian looked like he was going to say something, but suddenly realized he didn’t have anything to say to that. The others just stared at Ana in shock at her blatant disregard for her life. ”It’s not like I want to die,” she reassured them. “I’m going to fight to live, as evidenced by me being awake now, but if I have to choose... Given those options, I’d probably do the same thing next time.”  
“There’s not going to be a 'next time,’” Caspian told her firmly.  
“Really? Can any of you promise that it won’t? You’re no better off than me right now.” She didn’t mean for it to make them feel guilty, just a statement of facts.  
“We’re going to get out of this,” Arthur said with full confidence. He obviously felt like he needed to say something.  
“Of that, I have no doubt,” Ana responded in agreement. “It’s not a matter of if but when.” The leader was approaching and Ana quickly turned her attention to him, ending the conversation.  
”Glad to see you didn’t kill yourself,” the leader told her. His voice was sharp and spiteful.  
“Wouldn’t want to inconvenience you,” Ana responded with just as much venom.

The leader’s eyes narrowed, but he made no comment about her attitude. Instead, he tossed a small bite of bread in Ana’s direction. She barely managed to catch it and when she did, she eyed him curiously. The leader provided the answer without her having to ask.

“You didn’t get dinner last night and given your near-death incident, I figured you might need it.” He walked away, leaving Ana very confused and Caspian watching her suspiciously.  
“Well?” he questioned. “Aren’t you going to eat it?”  
“I'm just confused. Last night he didn't want me to eat but now this morning he cares if I do?"  
“He just said it was because of your…” Caspian trailed off, unable to actually say the words. 

Ana eyed him with confusion and a tad suspicion, though Caspian wasn’t sure why. But she did eat the bread without another word on the matter. Then they all waited anxiously as the bandits moved about the camp.

Each man was given a chance to relieve themselves before they continued. Seeing as they had to do so with an audience they either flat out refused or didn’t need to. Ana wasn’t given the option and was rather glad for it as it would’ve been another added humiliation. 

Before Caspian could so much as protest on it, the bandit camp was quickly gathered up, leaving little trace that they were there. As the horses were prepared, Ana got the feeling that they would not be allowed to ride the horses. At least not all of them. There weren’t enough horses for that. She glanced at Caspian to see him eyeing the bandits suspiciously, not paying her much mind. He must've been thinking the same thing.

The leader came towards the group, along with two other bandits. One of them was Talbot and he approached Ana while the other two continued towards the other captives. Talbot grabbed the chains around Ana's wrist and used them to drag her to her feet. Ana hissed in pain as the chains rubbed the burns she didn't know she had as she stood. She subconsciously massaged them as she glared at the bandit for the unnecessary treatment but he simply grabbed her arm and began to pull her towards the horses. As such, she only heard Caspian's protests before she was thrust into the bandits surrounding the horses.

"Calm down," the leader told them. "She's with Talbot. He's under strict orders not to let anyone near her, as I said last night. As long as you cooperate, you won't have to worry about Talbot hurting her either."

He gestured to the other bandit and the two of them helped the captives to their feet. They were carefully escorted to the horses and arranged in a line. A length of rope connected Ana’s chained wrist to a horse’s saddle. She would have to keep up or end up being dragged. The bandits kept sending lustful gazes her way, but Talbot stood nearby so none approached. The men were restrained in a similar fashion to Ana, having their hands untied for a brief moment while they were tied again in front. Each was then attached to a different saddle to be ridden by the various bandits.

With a nod to their leader, Talbot climbed into the saddle Ana was tied to while Arthur ended up tied to the leader’s horse. A moment later, the horses took off at a trot slow enough the captives could keep up, but fast enough tripping would cause them to fall. Merlin was the first to stumble, much to the others’ frustration. They didn’t stop unless he couldn’t regain his footing for a long period of time, resulting in some dragging.

But he wasn’t the only one as Ana had started tripping over roots and stones two hours into their walk. By the third, she was falling just as much as Merlin, much to Caspian’s concern. He kept eyeing her worriedly and she would try to steady herself. Ana felt so tried and the longer she walked, the more she tripped which caused her to fall. The bandits made no move to stop until the fifth hour, by which all of their prisoners had started stumbling. Only then did the leader called for a rest.

Water was passed to the captives, but they were given no food. They were also left with their hands tied to the horses while the bandits took a break to eat. Ana made herself comfortable on the ground, the rope providing just enough slack to do so. Shortly after, the others followed her actions when they realized they would not be untied.

“Tied to horses like a common criminal,” Arthur muttered.  
“Try being dragged,” Ana responded just as quietly.

“Are you alright?” Caspian asked.  
”Fine,” her answer was clipped.  
”Are you sure? You’re not normally clumsy. I thought you would’ve lasted longer without falling.”  
“I’m fine,” again, her voice was sharp and to the point. Caspian took it as a hint to let the matter drop.  
“I’m not fine, if anyone cares,” Gwaine responded. He received groans from the Knights and Arthur but smiles from both Ana and Merlin. “I’m tired, hungry, and I need to relieve myself.”  
“Wow... That was awfully polite of you,” Elyan said.  
“Well, there is a lady present,” Gwaine argued, causing Ana to barely stifle a chuckle.  
“Two actually,” Arthur corrected with a glance at Merlin.  
“Hey!” Merlin rolled his eyes, having no clap-back at the moment.  
“We need to get a message out somehow,” Caspian said, changing the subject.  
“Already taken care of,” Ana told him, causing all of them to look at her.  
"When and how did you do that?” Arthur asked, skeptical. "You've been asleep more than us!"  
"I’ve been pretending to be asleep a lot…” Ana told him but didn’t press the topic. “While you all were sleeping, I awoke a dryad and told them to get word to the castle that ‘King Caspian, as well as King Arthur and his men, had been captured.' Glenstorm should've received the message by now so patrols should be out.”  
“What about you?” Caspian asked. “I noticed you didn’t include yourself.”  
“I figured they already know I’m missing, considering I was grabbed in front of witnesses. Witnesses that are either dead or he let them live. I believe the latter since he has kept his word about everything else...”  
"Witnesses?" Leon questioned, frowning.  
"He's right," Arthur said. "He wanted to grab us without witness and leave as soon as possible. It seems clumsy of him to abduct you in front of witnesses."  
"How else was he supposed to get me?" Ana questioned. "If they tried to jump me, I would've known they were there and just used my magic to getaway. That’s considering I would have to be a fool to try and take them all on by myself. Hence why they don't worry about me running..." Arthur frowned but said nothing. The other men seemed to agree with Ana’s assessment. “He said if I surrendered, he would let Amari and Cachi go...”  
“Amari?” Caspian questioned. “How’d they grab her?”  
“She was garnering herbs with Cachi... and me.”  
“And you?”  
“Well, I went to get hazelwort and sent both of them back to the castle. I knew Amari couldn’t be gone too long so I offered to fetch the last couple of herbs while they got back to their duties. However, while I was headed back to the castle, I stumbled upon a problem. That is the group of bandits. I almost shot him too, until he revealed Amari and Cachi. The answer was simple: Surrender and they both lived. Otherwise, I would’ve had to choose which one lived and which one died…” she trailed off, her voice heavy like she regretted the decision. “Had I not surrendered, none of you would even be here.”  
“You did the right thing,” Caspian told her, trying to be comforting. “Just like we did. We surrendered to save you.”  
“You shouldn’t have had to.” Her voice was laced with regret. The others looked ready to offer comfort when the bandits approached them.  
“That’s enough chit-chat,” the leader said, as he approached his horse. “I hope you all got enough rest because we’ve got a long journey ahead of us.”

With that, he climbed into the saddle and the other bandits followed suit. Ana and the others quickly found their footing and mentally prepared themselves for the long walk. With their eyes on the ground, the captives listened carefully to the conversations around them. When they had gone a few paces, Ana glanced up at her king and the others. Sensing her look, Caspian turned his head, curious. ‘ Thank you,’ she mouthed and Caspian smiled with understanding.


	9. An Opportunity Arises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They have an opportunity to escape, but running may not be the best option.

The bandits didn’t stop this time until the sun began to set. By then, most of their captives had lost their footing at least once, if not several times. The longer they walked, the more exhausted Ana became, resulting in her falling more. A few times, Ana hadn’t even bothered to get up and was dragged before the bandit riding her horse stopped so she could regain her footing. Merlin seemed to be doing fairly well considering the trouble he had had earlier. Perhaps since Ana was more clumsy Merlin seemed less so to everyone else, including her. 

Talbot came to untie Ana, meaning to get her out of sight so the others would move without a struggle. As soon as Ana was released from the horse, Talbot fell to the ground after being tripped by Percival. He reached for the bandit’s sword as Caspian ordered Ana to run. She took two steps, meaning to follow that order before stopping in hesitation. The other men were each trying to reach for the nearest bandit and get their sword. They had waited for Ana to be free before acting and she knew she should take this opportunity to getaway. But she would feel guilty for leaving Caspian, for leaving any of them.

Regretting her decision already, Ana made a run for the treeline. She would double back, help them, she promised herself. There was no way she could leave them to suffer. Distracted by her thinking, she didn’t even realize the threat until the wind was knocked out of her and she found herself face to face with the dirt. A bandit was on top of her in an instant, pinning her to the ground. No matter how much she struggled, she was at a disadvantage and couldn’t get him off. Eventually, she stopped moving and she was pulled to her feet by the scruff of her neck.

The leader whistled and the fighting came to a stop. Some of the knights—Percival, Gwaine, Arthur—had managed to get their ropes off. This meant that they were able to give the bandits a fair fight and distract them while the others worked on theirs. As a result, Caspian had just disarmed the nearest bandit and was cutting through the ropes when he stopped. His eyes went to the leader first and he glared, before searching for any signs of Ana. When he saw her being held by another bandit, his mask fell and Ana could see the worry on his face. They knew they had failed and Ana would be the one to pay the price. 

“I’m disappointed in you,” the leader 'tsked' at the group. “I thought I had made the rules very clear, but evidently not.” Ana felt the bandit’s grip on her tighten and a sinking feeling rose in her stomach. “Allow me to demonstrate what happens when you disobey me. Rupert!”

At the mention of his name, the bandit holding Ana gripped her right arm tightly. He slowly pulled it, teasing, and Ana watched as Caspian’s eyes widened in horror. Without warning, he jerked her arm upward quickly, twisting a bit for good measuring. Ana heard the pop before she felt the pain, and as such didn’t actually cry out. Her face contorted in shock as she bent over in pain once the bandit released his grip. She tried to grab her dislocated shoulder with her left hand, but the cuffs didn’t allow for her to do so. The leader wasn’t satisfied with that though.

“That was for running,” he told them. “This…” he nodded his head at the other bandits. Several of them grabbed their captives to restrain them while another two approached Ana. “...is what she gets for _ your _foolishness.”  
“No!” Ana heard Caspian shout but was too busy trying to stay upright to look at him. As such, the approaching bandits were able to easily knock her to the ground.

She landed on her bad shoulder and couldn’t help the cry of pain that slipped out. The next thing she knew was an assault of fists and boots. Ana curled in on herself, trying to protect herself from the onslaught of the men’s anger but it was hard to do with restrained hands and a dislocated shoulder. She felt a few kicks to the chin, arms, and legs, but most of them were aimed at her abdomen and back. Each one was more painful than the next. Ana was sure someone was screaming but it was hard to pinpoint what was being said, much less who. All she could focus on was the group of men content with kicking her to a pulp and the searing pain coming from her shoulder.

Then it stopped. It was quiet for a brief moment and Ana stayed still. She wasn’t sure if it was okay to move or if the kicking would begin again. So she stayed curled up until someone spoke again or moved her. She wasn’t sure she had the strength to even get up and move. Their trek had left her exhausted and the beating even more so. It was too painful to try and move anyways.

Ana was alerted to approaching footsteps and that’s when she realized the bandits were gone. The person approached with caution and Ana knew who it was without even looking. She had learned to recognize those footsteps so when Caspian bent down to touch her arm, Ana tried not to flinch. But when Caspian paused, she realized she must not have succeeded. To reassure him, Ana shifted slightly so she could see his face and was greeted with a look of regret.

“Do you think you can stand?” he asked her, placing his hand on her arm.  
“Yes,” she answered.

He nodded and grabbed her left arm to help guide her since she couldn’t push herself up very well. When her feet were under her, Caspian pulled her up as slowly as he could and tried not to hurt her. She wobbled for a moment, but Caspian didn’t let go until he was sure she was steady. Ana held back the bit of vertigo she felt from being upright and tried to take a few steps.

“Easy,” Caspian told her, putting his hand on her left shoulder. “Don’t push yourself too much.”  
“I can walk,” she hissed, trying to hide how much pain she was in. Judging by Caspian’s tightening grip, he saw right through it.

She ignored it and lifted her head to glance around Caspian at the others. Arthur and his men had been restrained and settled near trees. They were watching her with concern and Ana felt slightly embarrassed about it. Most of the bandits were setting up the camp for the night but a few were watching them warily. One of them was the leader who stood with his arms crossed and a frown on his face. Ana glanced at Caspian's hand on her shoulder and noticed he was untied completely.

“You could’ve run,” she muttered to herself.  
Caspian’s face softened to prove he had heard but said nothing in response. “This way,” he told her, guiding her towards the captives.

Ana managed to cross the camp with only a few stumbles. Even if she had tripped, Caspian’s firm grip on her arm would’ve kept her from falling. He would’ve caught her to keep her from aggravating any potential injuries. She was led by a tree close to the group this time and Caspian gently guided her to the ground. Ana smiled and readjusted to take as much pressure off her stomach and ribs as possible. Once he was sure Ana was settled, Caspian looked at the leader. He wasn’t sure how much he was allowed to help her.

“That’s enough for now,” he told him. “Talbot, tie him up.”

Talbot approached the group, limping, with a frown on his face. Caspian was tightly restrained and pushed with the others. No one moved or struggled and the King kept his eyes solely focused on the leader. He ignored Ana completely—who was in too much pain to register it—and did exactly as instructed.

“I don’t consider myself a cruel man... But your actions have consequences and I warned you. Be grateful I allowed you to help her,” he tutted, crossing his arms.  
“Why did you break her arm?” Caspian asked. “That was unnecessary.”  
"He said if I tried to run, I would be a ‘downed bird,’” Ana muttered through the pain.  
“She was already downed,” the leader stated, reminding them of the cuffs. “But I had to follow through on my threat. A dislocation is much easier to recover from, though still painful.”  
“How considerate,” Ana hummed, but the leader showed no indication he had heard.  
“It is just a dislocation, right?” he did seem slightly concerned that it wasn’t. But Ana mutely nodded to confirm and the leader walked away before they could question it.  
“Are you alright?” Arthur whispered once they were gone. Ana sent him a glare. “Well, I mean obviously you’re not but—”   
Ana cut him off. “I’m less fine than I was two hours ago, but I will live,” she ground out.  
“Nothing’s broken?” Caspian inquired.  
“I don’t think so… It’s kind of hard to tell for sure when everything hurts. I don’t remember hearing anything crack, except my arm of course.”   
“I’m sorry…” Caspian said, leaning back and looking defeated.  
“We all are,” Arthur told her.  
“I don’t blame you,” And told them. “I would’ve been more upset if you hadn’t ever tried to get away. Perhaps if I hadn’t hesitated, I would’ve gotten away.”  
“Why’d you hesitate?” Caspian asked, and again Ana glared in response. He knew the answer without having to ask.

They fell silent after that. When the bandits had dinner, none was brought to their captives. Ana was fine with that because she didn’t think she could’ve eaten anything had it been offered. She did feel a little sorry that the others had to go hungry as part of their punishment. But it couldn’t be helped and they all knew it would do no good to ask for anything. Everything that was happening was because of their failed escape and Ana felt more and more guilty for surrendering. This was all happening because she had gotten caught. She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if something happened to them as a result. She was supposed to be a warrior, a protector, but now she wasn’t any of that. They were all starting to see just how childlike she really was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have two idea of how this story goes and I would like the readers’ opinions. One is more developed than the other, but changes are easily made as everything up to about chapter 13 will remain the same. Without going into too much detail one of the options is kind of dark, but also possibly triggering, but it only really affects my OC. However, it will focus less on her after certain point to keep the story on Arthur and the gang. (It might seem confusing, but it’s not. Ana’s point of view will just be “written out” for a couple chapters). Option two isn’t as dark and will might involve a bit more Merlin (or Arthur) whump than Option one (though this is still to be determined), however it might make the story shorter. I’m assuming most people reading this are Merlin fans, so it might make it a bit basis but...  
Since one option is more developed than the other, if that option is chosen, updates will happen faster. My friend and I have discussed and came up with a couple options:  
1\. Write the darker story, since it’s supposed to about finding the light in even the darkest of places. But place warnings at the beginning like I have been doing.  
2\. Write the lighter story, but try to stick with finding the light in the darkest place.  
3\. Write both. Publish two stories and make one the lighter version of the story and the other the darker (almost extended) version.  
Any thoughts or opinions? Let me know! :)


	10. The Buyer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They finally coming face to face with the person who paid for their capture

Caspian watched Ana carefully throughout the evening. He was watching for her subtle flinches and slight adjustments. Each was an indication of how much pain she was actually in. If there was one thing he learned about Ana it was that she was good at hiding her pain.

When the bandit had shown them that Ana hadn’t got away, worry had built up in his stomach. It grew when he saw him grip her arm and roughly pull and twist it. To her credit, Ana didn’t seem to register what had happened right away. She had simply doubled over with a look of shock on her face. The beating though... it seemed to hurt her more.

From the moment he had jumped her, he had been yelling all sorts of insults at the bandit leader. He struggled against his bonds and the men holding him back as Arthur and his men did the same. No one was successful because they were all expecting trouble from them and as such had been able to adjust for it. He could only watch in horror as she was thrown on the ground, on her bad arm, and assaulted with fists and boots. The bandits had resulted in kicking more than punching and he could see Ana struggling to protect herself between them.

The time between the beating and the leader halting it was torture. It only grew worse when Ana didn’t move once the bandits moved away. Her back was to them and Caspian couldn’t tell if she was breathing. He froze, fear that she was dead rose in his chest. Again, he tried to get away but to no avail.

“Ana!” he called, hoping for a response but he didn’t get it. The others were struggling as they were dragged from the horses. “Let me help her,” Caspian demanded to the leader, switching tactics. “Please.”

He received a stiff nod in return and the bandits holding him untied his ropes and moved away. Caspian didn’t even notice them grip their sword hilts as he made his way towards her. Ana was his only focus. He prayed that she was just unconscious and not dead. In fact, he preferred if she was unconscious because she wouldn’t be in any pain. His face fell when he reached for her and she flinched. She was awake and aware enough now to know someone was there. Still, he paused, not wanting to hurt her more by scaring her.

Whether she knew it was him or just someone trying to help, Caspian couldn’t tell. But Ana moved and looked at him, giving him permission to land a hand on her arm. Her eyes didn’t give away that she was any pain, but her voice did. It was rough and pinched as if it took everything not to cry out. She still seemed a bit out of it as Caspian guided her towards the others, but she was aware enough to notice that he was free. He ignored her comment on the manner, not wanting to discuss it, and simply made sure she didn’t fall as they walked.

The leader was cruel but fair. He had done exactly as he said he would and Ana had suffered for it. But he had also allowed him to help her and still forced Talbot to guard her at night. Caspian was glad about that because it was one less threat he had to worry about. As much as the bandit was displeased with the order, he did do what he was told. Even if he dozed quietly by the tree, he still woke every time Ana shifted and hissed in pain.

Caspian was worried about the morning though. If they were forced to walk behind the horses again, it would be extremely painful for Ana, especially with her dislocated shoulder. So as the sun rose, he glanced at Ana in a silent message. For once, her face gave him no indication if she understood, telling him she was in a lot more pain than she led them to believe. Caspian was about to voice it aloud when the leader approached.

“We only have a few hours ahead of us today,” he told the group. Caspian’s sideways glance at Ana caught her worry.  
“Looking forward to it,” Arthur responded sarcastically.  
“Going to cooperate today?” the leader asked, ignoring his comment. Everyone looked at Ana and that gave him the answer he needed. “Good.”

Talbot stood and left with his leader to fetch his breakfast. Some of the bandits began cleaning up the camp. Caspian’s stoic expression faded as the bandits departed and he turned a concerned face to Ana.

“Are you going to be able to walk?” he asked her.  
“He dislocated my shoulder. My legs are fine,” she answered sharply.  
“That’s not what I meant and you know it.” He had to be harsh if he expected honest answers out of her.  
She sighed. “I won’t be able to handle being dragged with my arm like this, but I should be able to walk. Nothing’s broken.”  
“That’s lucky,” Leon told her. “Given that they seemed to be targeting your stomach, I would’ve expected a broken rib or two.”  
“Bruised,” she said simply.  
“You should wrap them just to be safe if you get a chance,” Merlin suggested, trying to be helpful. Ana’s pursed her lips and nodded, indicating she agreed but didn’t think that it would be plausible.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

Arthur felt confused and conflicted. Everything about this kingdom had him on edge, even though they’d been generous and kind ever since he arrived. He had been suspicious of their actions and distrusted the King up until he agreed to escort them alone. They would be able to kill him before he could kill them, which told Arthur that the King was true to his word. He wished them no harm and was simply being cordial. While an alliance was a long way from happening, Arthur was glad they had an unspoken peace treaty.

But the most troublesome thing was Ana. She had seemed kind enough—and skilled enough if what King Caspian had told them was true—but she had magic. She said she hadn’t chosen it, but that didn’t assure Arthur any. He didn’t want to be left alone with her, even if he and his men were more than capable of taking her out. So when he had declined her help, instead of being angry, Ana had been understanding and didn’t press the matter. She hadn’t made any attempt to harm them before they knew her secret, so perhaps she wasn’t a bad person.

Magic was evil though. So how could Ana be both good and evil? That thought had confused Arthur so much that he had gotten a headache. He had surrendered to save her life because she hadn’t done anything to him, and she shouldn’t have had to die if it was him they wanted. But through it all, the sneers, teasing, and beating, Ana hadn’t reacted in anger. Rather, she had tried to calm her King down. It was only when her virtue was threatened that did she react and it was only for her protection. Her actions were what left Arthur constantly feeling conflicted about hating magic. She was the only one he’d ever met with magic that hadn’t tried to kill him.

Arthur watched Ana, curious, as she leaned against the tree. Though she had to be in pain, you couldn’t see it on her face. He had underestimated her in so many ways: she was tougher than she looked. Her kind actions and guilt over being captured had made all the Knights view her as just an innocent bystander. They were working with King Caspian to keep her from harm. He didn’t blame them as he too had done the same thing. Looking at her now, she didn’t seem like an evil sorceress bent on revenge, but a child desperately trying to avoid being the reason they were all stuck.

He left out an audible sigh of frustration, earning him a concerned look from Merlin. It was all just too confusing. Arthur wasn’t sure how he should feel about the girl, but he knew he couldn’t escape. She would suffer for it and he would end up regretting his actions. Besides, he had promised King Caspian that he would wait for his orders to react. It seemed the right choice since it was his kingdom and she was a member of his court. 

The leader approached them for the second time that morning, flanked by two of his compatriots. One was Darren—if he remembered correctly from two nights ago—but he didn’t know the name of the other bandit. He was, unfortunately, the one that had dislocated Ana’s shoulder and participated in her beating. Arthur saw how Ana glanced at Caspian, eyes flashing a message he couldn’t read before turning her attention to the bandits. He did the same, trying to keep his face neutral to feign indifference in regards to Ana. He didn’t want to seem too worried about the girl he was supposed to hate. 

“Time to go!” the leader ordered, giving his companions the chance to pull their captives to their feet. They left Ana alone though, to Arthur’s slight concern.  
Caspian was the one to voice it though. “And Ana?” he asked with an incline of his head in her direction.   
“I’m afraid she’s not in proper walking--or rather dragging as she’s been quite clumsy--condition,” the leader sneered.   
“You’re leaving her behind?” Arthur asked, incredulous. After all, they went through to keep them in line, they were just gonna leave her.   
“That’s not what I said. I said she wasn’t in proper dragging condition.”   


Arthur was glad to see that he wasn’t the only one confused. All his men and King Caspian had their brows furrowed in confusion. Ana’s face was the same bored expression it had been since they had approached. She was doing all she could to not let them get to her, so Arthur didn’t know if she knew what the leader was saying or not.

“We’ll have to patch her up,” the leader grinned mischievously. “She can’t walk behind a horse like that.” For once Ana’s face fell, ever so slightly. No one liked the sound of that. “Take them to the horses!”

The two somehow managed to maneuver the seven captives to the horses. Caspian put up the biggest fight, not wanting to let Ana out of his sight. It took more men to tie him to the horse, but he still ended up restrained. There was a sharp cry of pain from behind him and Arthur had to hold back a cringe at the sound. The sound made Caspian furious and he continued pulling at his bonds until Ana was brought next to him. She looked a little out of it and her eyes were glazed with pain, but she looked no worse than before.

As her arms were pulled in front of her and tied to the horse, Arthur could hear the whimper she was trying so hard to contain. They weren’t gentle in the least and it was clear some of the men enjoyed doing it. They were off before Arthur could question or protest the treatment. While his wrists were getting rubbed raw from the ropes, he couldn’t imagine the kind of pain Ana was hiding with each step. It was clear her cry had been from her shoulder being put back into place, but being pulled behind a horse was doing it no good. Those kind of injuries needed to be rested, not strained.

He had to focus on keeping himself upright and not falling so he didn’t focus on her so much. When there was a scuffle Arthur always looked in the direction of the sound and found it to be mostly Merlin stumbling. Through either sure will or determination, Ana managed to make it most of the trek without falling. She did stumble, but that was enough to let her know that falling would irritate all her injuries. It was on the last leg of the journey that it happened.

They were crossing a narrow path in the mountains when Ana glanced up sharply. Her abrupt movement caught the eyes of everyone as they glanced at her. She didn’t seem to notice, too busy flicking her eyes about the surrounding area. It was much the same way she acted before revealing her secret and Arthur frowned. Caspian seemed concerned as well.

“What is it?” he asked her, with a glance at the bandits.  
“We’re leaving Narnia,” Ana stated in a way that made her seem lost.   
“And…?” Arthur pressed, wanting to know what the problem with that was.   
“It’ll take them longer to find us,” she retorted. “If they’re even looking.” The last part was added simply because of the bandits being within earshot. “Besides, if we head towards Calormen, that’s not a good sign for either of us.” Arthur assumed that ‘us’ referred to the King and herself.   
“Calormen’s too far,” Caspian said. “We were told there are only a few hours left. We’ve been traveling for two and a half so it can’t be much further.” He looked to the leader for confirmation, not really expecting it, and he was ignored.   
“People lie,” Ana muttered so quietly that Arthur almost didn’t catch it.

The bandit riding the horse Ana was tied to took that moment to pull the rope tight. Not expecting it, she stumbled and tried to catch herself. The tightened rope provided her with no slack to recover and she fell. Ana landed hard and she cried out, resulting in Caspian shouting at the bandit. She was pulled a significant distance before the bandit stopped, but Ana didn’t try to get her feet under her. 

The leader called the whole group to a halt while Ana lay in the dirt, taking deep breaths. It took her a moment to regain her breath before she used her left arm to push herself to her feet. By the time she was up, she was favoring her right arm and it was clear it had been pulled out of socket again. With a frown at the bandit pulling her, she nodded to Caspian and the leader took that as a sign to continue. Arthur noticed she stayed really close to the horse this time, avoiding as much strain as possible. 

An hour or so later and they found themselves in what appeared an abandoned courtyard. A broken-down mansion lay in front of them and the whole place was surrounded by a stone wall. The gate for the entrance was opened and crumbled. It was clear no one had lived here in a while. Ana’s face was all Arthur needed to know that she had no idea where they were.

The bandits jumped from their horses and untied the captives. Their hands were tied behind them once again, except for Ana. To add humiliation, each of the men were tied together by a length of rope around their necks. The leader held the lead in his hand, forcing the men to follow after him. If one fell, they all would get choked and Ana’s face showed her fury at the act. The leader merely smiled with glee, pleased with eliciting such a reaction from her.

They were lead like dogs down a series of winding hallways. The place would be a maze to get out of, though that was probably the point. Merlin didn’t stumble, luckily, and they all managed to make it into the largest room in the manor. It too was falling apart, just like it had on the outside but there were two key features about it. One was the throne that had obviously been recently added. The second was what was on the throne or rather _ who _.


	11. A Buyer’s Welcome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They finally figure out just what the buyer wants from them.

“Morgana,” Arthur breathed.  
“Welcome dear brother,” Morgana sneered. The leader lead them to in front of her throne and then arranged them in a line so she could see each of the captives. “You have done well, Boyd. You got all of them.” Her eyes fell upon Ana. “But who is this?”  
“A magic user,” the leader, apparently named Boyd, told her. “We thought you might be interested so we brought her along. You said we weren’t allowed to hurt them too badly so whenever they misbehaved, we took it out on her.” The bandit holding Ana squeezed her bad shoulder for emphasis. It caused her to bite her lip to hold back a cry of pain while trying to squirm away.  
“Interesting…” Morgana stated, rising from the throne. For once she ignored Arthur and went straight towards Ana. “What’s your name?” Her voice was mocked kindness and Ana refused to answer. “Hmm… If I don’t buy her off of you, what do you plan to do?”  
“Well, I planned on selling her to the highest bidder, maybe use her for some entertainment in the meantime,” he told the witch.  
“In that case,” Morgana waved one of her guards forward. “I think I’ll leave her with you. Something tells me it’ll be much more fun with her gone.” She sent a gleeful smile to the men. Caspian’s face held horror while Ana kept her face emotionless. “Here’s the second half of your payment.” The guard tossed the leader a bag of coins.  
“Thank you, my lady. It was a pleasure doing business with you,” he told her.  
“No, thank you. For giving me something better than I could’ve expected,” Morgana grinned as she glanced between Ana and Caspian. “Something tells me you’ll break her before I ever could.”

With that statement, Ana was dragged from the room. Caspian was shouting and trying to pull away. She was terrified, but she tried to keep it hidden from Caspian. He needed to focus on staying safe and escaping. As much as she knew she wouldn’t be getting out of the situation without help, it was more important to her that the King lived. She sent a pleading look in Merlin’s direction, begging him to keep his promise, before she lost sight of them completely.

She was thrown carelessly across the bandits horse, like she weighed nothing. The leader muttered that it was much faster this way. Ana preferred it over walking, but hated being in such close contact with the man. It made her skin crawl. The bandit’s words and the looks she had been receiving left her heart racing and she was more desperate now to get away. She just had no idea how she was going to manage that task. 

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

“Well,” Morgana sneered, pleased at the outcome. “Now that that’s settled, let’s continue.”  
“Morgana,” Arthur said, almost begging. “This has nothing to do with them. It’s between you and me. Let them go.”  
“No. You see, Arthur, a friend of my enemy is my enemy. Besides, it’s much more fun when you’re so desperate to keep them safe.”  
“What did I ever do to you?!” Caspian cried, outraged. “What did _she_ ever do?”  
“I gave Boyd an order. If you turned them away, or even tried to have them killed, you would be free to go. I would’ve thought a King like you would detest Arthur and his people. They would kill your people without a second thought! Given your current situation, you tried to help them. You’ll pay for that!” she hissed, clearly not understanding why he had chosen to help them.  
“It’s called diplomacy and not wanting to start an unnecessary war!”  
“I think sending the girl away is torture enough for you…” Morgana smiled. “For now.” Caspian deflated, realizing it was useless to argue. “But for you, my dear brother,” Morgana sneered. “I’m going to make you suffer as I have suffered, as my kind has suffered. When I’m done, you’ll wish for death. _Swefe!_” With a flash of her eyes, all the prisoners collapsed to the ground, asleep. 

When they awoke, they found themselves in a large holding cell. The ropes around their wrists and necks were gone, but it was of little consolation. Caspian glanced around, trying to get a better sense of where he was. He still didn’t recognize the place. The cell lacked a cot or even a bed of straw to lay on. Clearly, the witch didn’t want to make their stay comfortable. Some of the cells, like theirs, had a small window which allowed allowed a view into the courtyard but others didn’t have them, making the entire dungeon quite dark. 

Arthur jumped to his feet and began to test the security of their prison. The other knights watched wearily. He shook the bars, testing their strength and ran his hands along the walls looking for cracks. They seemed to be solid and unbreakable which was surprising given the state of the rest of the castle. Arthur huffed and slumped down to the floor in defeat. They would have to plan another way to get out of the cell. 

Caspian’s eyes roamed those present and he suddenly remember that Ana was not with them. The witch had left her with the cruel and vile bandits. The thought made his skin crawl. He immediately felt guilty for not trying harder to escape or protect her. In that moment, he swore that the bandits would pay severely if Ana was hurt in anyway. His hands formed fist at the thought of killing every one of them, regardless of how unjustly it was. 

“Don’t worry about Ana,” he heard someone whisper, pulling him from his dangerous thoughts. He looked to see Merlin sitting next to him, watching him carefully. “She seems like she can handle herself.”  
“It’s not her I’m worried about… It’s what they intend to do with her,” Caspian elaborated.  
“She wouldn’t want you to worry about her. She’d want you to focus on getting out.”  
“Right…” he agreed, knowing Merlin was right. “I’m going after her the first chance I get.”  
“It’ll be alright,” Merlin assured him. “You’ll see.”  
“How sweet,” a feminine voice mocked. They all knew who it was without having to look at the door. “Concerned about a little magic user, Merlin? Arthur wouldn’t be pleased to hear that.”  
“She was an innocent child, completely powerless and you just sent her away with some of the vilest men!” Arthur snapped as he rose to his feet, shocking Morgana with his fury.  
“What’s this?” Morgana asked, recovering quickly. “Arthur’s concerned about a little sorceress?”  
“She’s not a sorceress,” Caspian said, earning him a confused look from Morgana. “She doesn’t have magic in the traditional sense like you. It wasn’t something she chose.”  
Morgana waved her hand dismissively. “It doesn’t matter what she is. It’s just interesting that Arthur cares so much. Normally he’d be begging to have someone like me killed, yet he’s worried about her. What makes her so special?”  
“She hasn’t tried to kill me,” Arthur stated, crossing his arms. “You have.”  
“No… There’s something else,” Morgana pressured, taking a step closer to the bars. Her eyes were wide as she stared intensely at Arthur as if trying to read his very soul. Her chapped lips parted a little and she tilted her head.  
“There have been fewer sentences for magic users since I took the throne,” Arthur stated instead, changing the subject.  
“Maybe… But they would dissipate completely if I was! _Hiersting ece_!” Morgana hissed another spell. 

Expecting her spell to be aimed at Arthur, everyone was caught off guard when Merlin collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain. All the Knights watched with great concern, holding back the urge to rush to his side. Arthur’s mask slipped a little into one of panic as he watched Merlin wither in pain. Morgana smiled at the care he showed to the lowly servant. How she hated him! It was just as much torture for Arthur as it was revenge for everything Merlin did to her. 

Not wanting to push him too early, Morgana stopped the spell. Gwaine rushed to Merlin’s side the minute he stopped moving and Arthur moved to block Morgana’s view. She only smiled cruelly, knowing she could easily do it again.

“What do you want from me?” Arthur asked her.  
“I want you dead and I want you to suffer. I want you to wish death, knowing that it will not come,” Morgana told him, hidden glee in her eyes. “I want you broken.” 

With a swish of her dress, Morgana turned her back on the captives. They watched her retreating figure for only a moment before Arthur let his façade fall and knelt down next to Merlin. He shared a look with Gwaine as he reached out to roll him onto his back. Merlin hadn’t passed out and Arthur let himself feel a little relieved.

“Alright there, Merlin?” he asked, not wanting to show his concern.  
“Of course,” Merlin told him with a weak smile. ”It was no worse than having a goblet thrown at me by a prat.”  
“Good,” Arthur retorted, the corners of his mouth curling slightly. “We don’t need you lazing about.”  
“Dollophead,” Merlin teased.  
Gwaine helped him to sit up and they moved so he could lean against the back wall. “So what’s your plan for getting out of here, princess?”  
“We obviously won’t be able to get out unless she opens the door and comes inside. I think we should be prepared to jump her should that happen.”  
“You want to jump a sorceress?” Caspian asked, causing the others to turn in surprise. They had forgotten he was there.  
“Do you have a better idea?” Arthur argued, crossing his arms.  
“Not at the moment, but somehow I don’t think attacking a witch is going to work.”  
“It’s the best we’ve got,” Arthur reasoned.  
“We know help is coming,” Caspian said. “I don’t know how long we have until they get here, but perhaps we won’t have to fight our way out.”  
“Perhaps. But I’m not going to standby and let Morgana torture all us until they do come. We’re fighting back!”  
Caspian held up his hands in surrender, not meaning to upset him. “I understand that and I would do the same. I’ll follow your lead this time.” Arthur nodded his thanks and the conversation was dropped.

Arthur and his men crowded on one side of the cell while Caspian made his way opposite. He found a relatively dry spot and sat down, leaning his head against the wall. As desperate as Arthur was to get away to protect his men, Caspian was just as desperate to get away to help Ana. They needed a better plan than what they had because Caspian doubted it would work. He had little experience in actually fighting a magic creature—sorceress included—and wasn’t sure what the best plan would be. That was Ana’s area of expertise, just another reminder of where she wasn’t. Perhaps their plan would work, but if it didn’t they likely wouldn’t have many opportunities for another shot. Caspian wanted to make sure their plan was the best it could be the first time.

* * *

_*_**Swefe**: from _A Remedy to Cure All Ills _(1x06) meaning "Sleep"

_~_could also be spelled _Sfeffin_ according to [Merlin Wiki](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Spells)

_**_**Hiersting ece**: meaning "burning pain"

~I do not speak Old English, nor do I have time to learn it, so as much as I hate it I’ll use this [translator](https://lingojam.com/OldEnglishTranslator) for spells not used in the show. (Translators are not always accurate so that's why I dislike them. If anyone can better translate it, let me know!)


	12. Morgana’s Torture Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morgana has her fun and some secrets are revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delay! There was a problem with this chapter and it took me longer than I wished to fix it. I hoped to have had it posted by Christmas but, I’m a week late. So here’s a New Years gift instead. Happy New Years everyone!

“Arthur…” Merlin said quietly. When Arthur looked at him, Merlin inclined his head in Caspian’s direction. “He’s just as worried as you are.”   
Arthur sighed. “I suppose I shouldn’t have been so harsh with him. He was trying to help.”   
Merlin smiled encouragingly and Arthur looked at the Knights. He nodded his head before approaching Caspian. “Listen… I’m sorry for shouting at you. I realize you’re just as desperate to get out of here as us, albeit for different reasons. You were right to point out that it was a dumb idea. If you have any others I would be open to listening to them. Join us?”   
“I didn’t say it was a dumb idea,” Caspian said with a small smile. “I’m just not sure how well that’s going to work. She does have magic and last I checked, we don’t have anything but brute force.”   
“You’re right, of course. We need something better.”   
Caspian nodded and stood up to join the others. Approaching, he asked: “What other ideas have we got?” The Knights smiled in response before answering his question.   
“Nothing really,” Leon told him. “Jumping her—or the guards—is our best bet at the moment.”   
“Yes, but as King Caspian pointed out, we have nothing but our own strength,” Arthur told them. “We’ve all seen what Morgana can do. She knows us, and we know her. She knows we’ll be planning to escape. Probably expecting it in fact.”   
“We do have one advantage,” Caspian said, causing everyone to look at him. “She doesn’t know me. She’s never seen me fight , nor does she know how to read me. Morgana had the perfect leverage against me and she sent her away. Now, she has nothing to keep me in line. Since Ana is not here, I have less to lose than any of you.”   
“What are you suggesting?” Arthur appeared to be concerned.   
“That we use that ,” Caspian said with determination. “ I could be the perfect distraction. If I don’t get away, the only one she could harm is me.”   
“Are you saying we should just leave you here?” Arthur asked, scandalized at the thought of leaving a foreign king to deal with Morgana’s wrath.   
“Better me than you,” Caspian said with a shrug.   
“No…” Merlin piped up. “Better me than either of you. I’m just a servant, you’re Kings. You have people who need you.” Arthur frowned at him while Caspian looked at him with something akin to fascination on his face.   
“You’ve spent too much time around Ana,” Caspian told him. Merlin only frowned in confusion, prompting him to clarify. “That’s something she would say.”   
“Nope. I’m afraid Merlin’s always been a self-sacrificing idiot,” Arthur chided.   
“What is the life of a servant compared to that of a king?” Merlin protested.   
“Merlin, we’re not leaving you here,” Gwaine told him.   
“You could come back for me. Once you have actual weapons and a way to fight her.” Merlin wasn’t planning on staying too long afterwards. He just didn’t have a way to use his magic without everyone finding out.   
“The answer is no, Merlin,” Arthur stated in a tone that offered no room for argument. Merlin huffed in frustration but said nothing else.

They could hear footsteps coming down the hall and they immediately stopped talking. The Knights and Caspian dispersed a bit to make it appear as though they weren’t planning anything. If it was Morgana, she probably suspected that they had already been doing that. But it was worth trying to pretend otherwise for now.

To their surprise, it was a few of Morgana’s guards. One held a small tray with a pitcher on it in his hands. This guard was flanked by three others similar in size to Percival. One guard in front pulled a key from his pocket and set it in the lock as the one holding the tray stepped forward. When the door opened, he swiftly stepped inside, and the door was locked behind him. He set the tray down a few feet from the door and backed away from it. After making sure none of their prisoners moved, they opened the door and allowed the other guard to step out. Then it was promptly closed and locked.

“What was that about?” Gwaine asked, once they had left.   
“They were insuring that we could only attack one guard,” Percival explained. “By locking the door after him, it proved that we would be locked in with him if we did so.”   
“Meaning it’s rather pointless to fight the guards,” Elyan concluded.

Caspian approached the tray while the others were talking. He examined the contents before bringing it to the others. The tray contained a small loaf of bread, barely enough to feed all of them. It wouldn’t hold them over for long either. Morgana didn’t want them to keep their strength up, but she also didn’t want them to go without anything. No one was sure how to take that gesture. The pitcher held water and if they rationed it, everyone could get enough. Caspian told the others this as he showed them what they had been given.

The men nodded and Caspian handed the bread off to Arthur. It was split into seven roughly equal pieces and each man took a piece. No one said anything as Merlin was handed the slightly bigger piece though Merlin did frown at the gesture. He didn’t think it was right. They fell into silence as they ate what little food they were given and drank what they could. No one knew what to say.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

Nighttime came with no more visits from Morgana, and with each passing moment they grew concerned. Whatever kept her from taunting her prisoners wasn’t a good thing, especially since one of them was Arthur. As they anxiously awaited their fate, they sat in silence. Merlin had spent the time trying to come up with a way to discreetly use magic to escape the cell and had no doubt the others were coming up with plans as well.

Approaching footsteps alerted them again, causing many of the men to jump to their feet. Merlin stayed where he was and noticed that Caspian hadn’t moved either. It was just the guards again and the others relaxed a bit, though they remained standing. From his spot on the floor, he could see the guard eyeing the prisoners before falling on the tray and pitcher. Merlin got the message, and apparently Arthur did is well as his posture changed to challenging. He was daring the guard to come and get them.

There was a scuffle of feet and Merlin watched as Caspian stood and gathered up the items. He brought them to the door and set them just to the side as the guard instructed. Then walked back to his spot and sat down without a word. All the knights and Arthur eyed him in shock as the guard opened the door and stepped inside. Though it didn’t take him long to grab the items, the door was locked and the guard was forced to keep an eye on the prisoners. When he exited the cell, they waited for all four guards to leave before turning to Caspian.

“What was that?!” Arthur practically hissed. “We could’ve used those.”   
“Perhaps… but only on the one guard,” Caspian said. “They’d just come back with more guards if it was that important.”   
“You’re giving in to them!”   
“Yes, I am,” Caspian told them, causing the others to grow concerned. The king glanced at the door as if listening for footsteps. “I want Morgana to think I’m not gonna fight, that I’m defeated. She’ll underestimate me.”   
“That’s your plan?” Arthur asked. “To make her ignore you?”   
“And hopefully forget about me, allowing me to get the upper hand.  She  obviously wouldn’t believe anyone of you are defeated, but she doesn’t know me. She won’t know what to expect.”   
“That’s… not a bad idea,” Arthur was forced to admit.   
“How we use that fact,” Caspian told him with a shrug, “I’ll leave to you.”   
With a nod from Arthur, everyone relaxed. “We need a plan… But right now I’m more concerned with why Morgana hasn’t paid us another visit.”   
“It’s a bit worrisome that she hasn’t come back to gloat or harm us,” Leon agreed. “What do you think could be keeping her?”   
“Nothing good,” Gwaine said. “Anything keeping her is not good. Trust me on that…” He appeared to be remembering his time as Morgana’s prisoner.

As if she knew they were talking about her, they heard the sound of one set of footsteps approaching the cell. Given that the guards had no reason to return, especially alone, they all were prepared for Morgana’s appearance. Caspian decided to play his part and quickly slid into a mask of submission. He would avoid eye contact and remain quiet, and hopefully, she wouldn’t pay him any mind.

“Miss me?” Morgana remarked, seeing all the knights standing. Her eyes glanced around before landing on Caspian. “What’s this? Given up already? I thought you Kings were better than that.”   
“Leave him alone. Morgana,” Arthur told her. It helped make Caspian’s act more believable, though Merlin wasn’t sure that was the intent. “Your quarrel is with me. Not with him, or any of my knights. Just let them go and you can have me.”   
“Arthur…” hissed Merlin.   
“What a generous offer,” Morgana replied, feigning innocence. “But I’m going to have to decline. Tempting as it would be to kill you and be done with it, it’s much more fun to watch you suffer.” She cunningly grinned at them. “But which one should I torture first? The hothead?  _ Forp fleoge _ !” Morgana’s eyes flashed golden and Gwaine was thrown into the nearest wall before he could even react. He fell, unmoving, to the ground and Percival rushed to check on him. “Hmm… what about  _ that _ serving girl’s brother?  _ Gewseorc, hine becylppe _ !” Raising her hand, her eyes flashed gold as Eylan’s hands reached for his throat and tried to remove the invisible force. Morgana grinned gleefully as he struggled.   
“Morgana! Let him go!” Arthur pleaded. She did, only to toss him aside like she did Gwaine. 

With a flash of her eyes, the remaining knights were tossed back into the wall. Arthur shook his head to clear it, struggling to his feet. Merlin racked his brain for a spell he could use against her without giving away his secret. His eyes scanned the room and found nothing he could use but he did stand as Arthur and the others made their way to their feet. Glancing over at Caspian, he saw the king hadn’t moved, but was watching all of them with barely concealed worry.

“I’ve been asking questions,” Morgana said, drawing their attention to her. “I’ve found some interesting facts about Narnia.” At this she looked pointedly at King Caspian, who refused to look at her. “It wasn’t that long ago that magic was outlawed there.”  Caspian remained calm, seemingly surrendering to his circumstances. His apathy irritated the sorceress, it fueled her desire to get a rise out of the man. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised,” she continued, sharply. “What more can one expect from such small insignificant people? You fear everything you don’t understand. You ban everything that’s greater than you!” 

Arthur was tense, waiting for Caspian’s response. According to the plan he was supposed to be a defeated leader without any will to fight. Yet Arthur knew how deeply Caspian cared about Narnia, even though he had only known the King a few days. He knew how important the well-being of the magic folks in his kingdom was to the King. Morgana’s words were like cutting knives and Arthur wondered how long until Caspian would lose his composure and react to Morgana’s taunting. 

Morgana’s brow furrowed slightly, obviously not pleased at her inability to irritate him. She hummed for a moment, hands reaching for the bars and pulled herself closer. “It’s such a shame Phoenix had to die. I mean she gave up her kingdom for what? A simple minded fool who’s not fit to wear a crown?” she sneered but smiled when Caspian finally looked at her.    
“Phoenix?” Caspian questioned. “What do you know about Phoenix?”    
Morgana’s smile only grew, looking very cruel. “She was quite a Legend… She helped bring peace between Kingdoms and helped the royals of her time. The greatest warrior of her time. All the Narnians loved her, according to the books. Royals too. Some believe she was royalty in her own right. It was such a tragedy what happened to her.”    
“What do you mean?” Caspain asked, anxious. He was worried what those bandits had done to Ana. She finally had his attention.    
“You don’t know? Didn’t you care to learn the history of the Kingdom you conquered? Well, I suppose one can’t blame you for that. You were taught that they were insignificant, unnecessary. An evil. But still… You think the Narnians would tell you.”    
“Tell me what?”    
“When the Telmarines invaded, they killed their beloved warrior. Their hero. She was defending Narnia from the Telmarines, but she was overwhelmed. The battle was lost and poor Phoenix, was killed,” Morgana told him. “I’m surprised the Narnians would follow a leader like you.”    
“That’s not possible…” Caspian muttered to himself.    
“I’m afraid it is. The Narnians kept very good records,” Morgana said, procuring a book from who knows where. “It’s all here in  _ The Legend of the Phoenix _ . I thought it was some fairy tale at first, but after consulting some of the other books, I learned Phoenix was a very real person.”    
“No… It’s not possible for Phoenix to have been killed. I was just talking to her the other day and she was very much alive,” Caspian told the witch.    
“What?” Morgana couldn’t keep her surprise from showing.    
“You asked how I’m alive, how the Narnians would follow someone like me,” Caspian began, still rooted to his spot on the ground. His voice held sadness, defeat. He was still pretending. “It’s because of Phoenix. I didn’t just become King of Narnia by ascending to the Telmarine throne. My own uncle tried to murder me and take the throne that was rightfully mine. He already killed my father…” 

The last part was said so quietly that the others almost missed it. None of them knew the story of how Caspian came to rule so this was new to them as well. However, Arthur realized he had more in common with this foreign king than he initially believed. 

Caspian continued to tell his story. “Somehow, my professor caught wind of my uncle’s plot and got me out of the castle in time. I fled to the woods and found the Narnians, plenty of which wished to take my head. But it was A—Phoenix,” he recovered quickly, “that stopped them. She must’ve saw something in me… Perhaps it was that I was their best chance of regaining their Kingdom. I promised the Narnians that same day that if they helped me reclaim the Telmarine throne, I would bring peace between our two people. They kept their part of the bargain and every day, I work to keep mine. If it wasn’t for Phoenix’s help, I don’t think I would be able to.”    
Morgana stood in shock for a moment before frowning. “Pity… Now I’ll have to kill her too.”    
“Then it’s a good thing she’s not here,” Arthur said, to the surprise of everyone. 

Morgana watched him critically. “You would protect her?” She cackled. “You and the pathetic, weak King of Narnia would protect a magic user?” 

It was a jibe at Caspian, and it took everything in him to not lash out at her. He stiffened and was ready to respond when he felt a wave of calmness rush through him.   
_ “Peace, young king”  _ he heard a voice say, stopping him from lashing out at Morgana. He barely restrained himself from glancing around to find the source. “ _ Peace. If you stay calm, she cannot win. Be slow to speak, slow to anger.”  _

Caspian took a deep breath and settled. He could feel the presence of the speaker as if he was actually with him. It helped keep him calm. No matter what Morgana said, he would not rise to the bait. She was just trying to rile him and he had to show her that she wouldn’t win. He had to show her that he didn’t anger easily. Nothing she could say would make him respond in anger. 

Morgana, seeing as Caspian was not responding to any of her jabs, switched tactics. She may not be able to get a rise out of this King, yet, but Arthur was another story. He was already up in arms about someone he had never met. Which meant he had met her. It was time to see how far she could push, how much Arthur would reveal. It was clear the Narnian king would tell her nothing. 

“As soon as I find the worthless little  _ bird _ , I’ll have her brought here,” Morgana said with a sneer. “We’ll have a bit of a chat and if she doesn’t see reason, then I’ll persuade her. I can be very persuasive. I don’t care how long it takes, but eventually she will break. She’ll be nothing more than a shell of herself. And when she has, whoever is still alive will get to see her. I’ll have her finish you off.” Morgana chuckled darkly. “Then I’ll use her to take the throne of Camelot. And when she’s outlived her usefulness… well I let others have their fun with her.” 

Caspian’s face remained impassive, much to Morgana’s irritation. Little did she know how much control it took for him to not jump up and scream at her. If Aslan wasn’t with him, he would already be throwing himself at the bars and shouting at the witch. He was calm, but Arthur went from worried to horrified as Morgana’s tale went on. 

“What happened to you Morgana?” he asked with barely concealed horror. “What made you become so twisted?”    
“Uther taught me well,” she responded with a smile. “I’m doing nothing that he wouldn’t do.”    
“My father would not have allowed a child to be tortured!”    
“A child?” Morgana repeated. “Phoenix is a child? That’s not possible…”    
Arthur seemed to realize his slip and glanced to Caspian for some help. “N—No. I just meant that as an example.”    
“Now, now,” Morgana tsked. “That’s a poor excuse if I ever heard one. We both know you’ve met Phoenix. Tell me where I can find her and I’ll make your death quick. No more games.”    
“You will never find her,” Caspian finally spoke, his voice calm.    
“Oh? And why is that?” Silence followed her question and she steeled each of them with a burning glare. ”You’re protecting her… Why?” Morgana slowly thought about everything she had seen and heard from them. Her eyes flashed with anger as she put the pieces together. “That girl! She was the Phoenix, wasn’t she! And you let her slide right through my fingers!” She screamed, taking out her rage on the remaining knights and Merlin. Each was flung violently against the wall and they fell to the ground, unconscious. 

Caspian, miraculously, was untouched. He wasn’t sure if that was because of Aslan or if Morgana had never targeted him the first place. But as Morgana screamed in rage again, he made his way to his feet. Aslan was still with him, but he couldn’t let her blame someone else for something she had done. 

“How dare you!” Caspian said, causing Morgana to stop and turn. “You let her go and it’s their fault she’s gone? You sent her away… for kicks!”   
“I’ll get her back,” Morgana hissed. “I can assure you of that.    
“No, you won’t,” Caspian told her. “The moment you let her get dragged away was the moment she vanished. She may be with those men, but you won’t be able to find them.”    
“And what makes you so sure?”    
“Because they have no intention of giving her back to you, not after you handed her off.”    
“We’ll just see about that,” she snapped. Then with a swish of her dress, she disappeared down the hall. 

* * *

***Forp fleoge** : from  _ The Disir _ (5x05) meaning "fly forth!"

~Alternative Spelling:  **Forþ fleoge**

****Gewseorc, hine becylppe** : from _ Another's Sorrow _ (5x04) meaning "Darkness, clasp him!"

~Alternative Spelling: **Gesweorc, hine** **beclyppe**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you curious about my previous note about where this story will go... This one will still follow the Darker path since no one had any objections to it. If at any point it gets too dark, you don’t have to continue. I still plan on doing a lighter version of this, but I won’t work on it until after this story is finished.


	13. The Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caspian, Arthur, Merlin and the Knights escape from Morgana’s grasp

Morgana wasn’t there when Merlin awoke, to his great relief. He wasn't sure if anyone could handle another session with her so soon after the last. Merlin glanced around and noticed there was a pitcher set just inside the door. He stared at it in alarm. How had the guards managed to come in without him hearing? Was he the only one or had the others been oblivious to it as well?

Glancing at the others, it appeared they were still unconscious, hopefully asleep, but then Merlin’s eyes fell on Caspian. The king was clearly awake, but his eyes stared off in the distance and he seemed far away. He was probably thinking about Ana. The sunlight streaming through nearby cells told Merlin it was late morning or early afternoon. It made him concerned that the others were still asleep.

Just as he thought that, Arthur awoke with a groan, pulling the dark-haired king out of his trance. He glanced over with concern and watched as Arthur made his way to his feet. Arthur had to use the wall as support to stand, but seemed relatively fine once he was up. He did glance around with a frown upon realizing what time it was and that his men were mostly still asleep.

“The guards brought some water by earlier,” King Caspian stated once Arthur examined his surroundings. “I debated waking you, but her spell seemed to take a lot out of you. I thought you may need the rest…”  
“She’ll be back,” Arthur told him. “And she’ll keep coming until I’m dead.”

King Caspian pursed his lips but said nothing. Standing, he made his way to the pitcher and brought it over to Arthur. As he did so, the others began to stir, to Merlin’s great relief. He didn’t have the strength to get up yet and continued to lean against the wall where he had fallen after Morgana’s spell. He wondered if Arthur had even realized he was awake.  
“You alright, Merlin?” Arthur asked with a tad concern, proving he had noticed. 

Merlin’s eyes slowly focused on the figure before him. He observed a small cut and bruise on Arthur’s cheek, but he seemed otherwise unharmed. Leon and Percival had no visible bruises or cuts. Gwaine on the other hand, had a small gash on his temple that had been bleeding at some point but was now covered in dried blood. Elyan had a small cut as well, but it wasn’t as bad as the one Gwaine was sporting. In the dim light of the cell, Merlin could make out a bit of bruising around Elyan’s neck. But everyone’s injuries appeared rather minor, and not life threatening which was good in Merlin’s opinion. 

“Hmm…?” Merlin hummed, not quite sure he could answer. His head hurt and he thought he might’ve hit it rather hard against the wall.  
“Merlin?” Arthur questioned with a more exasperated tone.  
“Just tired,” Merlin muttered in response, feeling his eyes droop.  
“Stay awake, Merlin,” King Caspian told him. “You hit your head pretty hard… I’m no physician but I know that you could have a concussion or worse. You need to stay awake.”

Merlin knew the king was right and tried hard to stay awake. He felt a small splash of water and realized he had closed his eyes—had he even opened them?—again. Looking at Arthur, he saw the hidden concern in his eyes before noticing the pitcher in his hands. Arthur however didn’t look the slightest bit guilty about wasting a bit of water to wake him up.

“You should all try to stay awake,” the dark haired king told the now awake knights. “Most of you hit your head when she threw you… We’ll want to keep an eye out for concussions.”  
“Concussions are the least of our problems,” muttered Gwaine as he got to his feet. He moved too quickly and almost toppled over—would’ve if his shoulder hadn’t hit the wall first. “If we don’t find a way out, we’ll all be dead.”  
“I’m the one she wants dead,” Arthur told them, feeling guilty. “You’re all just a way to torture me without ‘torturing’ me.”  
“We’re in this together,” Leon told him. “It isn’t just you she hates. It’s the Knights and everything we stand for.” If it was meant to be comforting, it wasn’t.

The pitcher was passed silently around and each man carefully drank. When it was empty they tossed it aside, knowing it would be useless. Then they talked amongst themselves, working out what to do. The best they could come up with was to wait until Caspian was all but forgotten about before putting anything into motion. However, it was dangerous because the longer they were there, the more likely it was that they would not walk out alive.

Caspian separated himself from the group when they heard footsteps. He quickly schooled his expression into one of defeat and slid to the floor. The others watched him, before turning to each other and talking in hushed whispers about their plan to escape. They pretended not to notice Morgana’s arrival at the door.  
“Planning an escape?” she mocked, glancing at Caspian. “Without including him?”  
“What’s the point?” Caspian said. “You made it clear we won’t get out of here.”  
“I thought you were more determined than that… Does the girl really have that much of an effect on you?” Morgana sneered, clearly pleased that that was the case. “Well, no matter. I have plans for you today…”

Two guards appeared and made their way to the door. It was opened with a flash of Morgana’s eyes and they entered the cell, making their way towards Caspian. Caspian didn’t move, but he did tense, preparing to put up a fight if he had to. Merlin watched as Percival and Arthur charged at the guards as soon as they entered, only to be thrown back. Morgana tsked.

“I thought you were smarter than that,” she said as the other knights tried as well to stop them. 

It was a futile effort as Morgana easily threw each of them back and the guards reached Caspian untouched. As he was dragged to his feet Merlin realized he had to do something. He promised Ana he would look after King Caspian and anything Morgana wanted him for wouldn’t be good. Carefully watching the others to make sure they weren’t paying attention to him, his eyes flashed and the two guards stumbled forward. They let go of the King, trying to catch themselves, and provided Caspian with the opportunity to knock one of them out. Morgana threw him aside with a shout before he had the chance to hurt the other.

“Fools!” she hissed, but whether she was referring to the guards’ clumsiness or Caspian’s attack, was unknown. “You’ll pay for that!”

Morgana raised her arm, in preparation to strike, and Merlin tried to think of another spell. However, before either could do anything, shouting and what sounded like fighting was heard from above and Morgana frowned. The others exchanged looks of confusion as she lowered her arm. Arthur opened his mouth to speak, but the door to their cell slammed shut and she disappeared without a word. The guard that was still awake was trapped inside and he watched the men wearily. He was quickly knocked out by a punch from Percival. 

“What was that?” Gwaine said.  
“You mean ‘what _ is _ that,’” Elyan corrected. “Something is happening now that Morgana wasn’t expecting…”  
”Is it possible for your people to have found us already?” Arthur asked Caspian.  
“Well, they knew Ana was missing within a few hours of the kidnapping so someone would’ve likely been working to find her,” Caspian answered, seeming to be reasoning it out himself. “They got word of our capture way later and even if a few had found our trail right away, it’s unlikely a small contingency would be able to leave as soon as they got word. The more men they bring, the longer it would take to leave. I’d estimate they’d be about two days behind us. It’s been at least four days since our capture—I don’t know how much time had passed when we were knocked out—but we were only moving for two of them. Depending on how quick they picked up the trail... they could be here now. At least a small group of them. The rest wouldn’t be here until later.”  
“So not enough to take on Morgana?” Arthur stated, rather than asked.  
“Afraid so. Unless, of course, the trail was easy to pick up...” he paused for a moment. “That’s what she was doing. Marking an obvious path in the direction we were traveling...”  
“Sorry? Who?”  
“Ana... Remember how she kept tripping and letting them drag her? Some of it was probably unintentional, especially that last one, but some of it had to have been on purpose. She’s not that clumsy...”  
“So you think Ana was purposefully trying to leave a trail your men could easily find?” Arthur asked him.  
“It’s the only explanation I can think of for her behavior… But the group didn’t seem too concerned with covering our tracks in the first place, so one would think Morgana would’ve been prepared for an attack.”  
“Not necessarily,” Leon interjected. “They only knew Ana was missing. She was grabbed in front of witnesses who would’ve informed of her kidnapping. They weren’t looking for us until they got her message, so the bandits wouldn’t have been concerned with covering their tracks. The leader probably assumed nature would cover our tracks before they discovered we were missing. It’s supposed to be what a four—five—day journey to the border and back? Had they not received that message they wouldn’t have known to look for us until you didn’t return.”  
“I had forgotten about that,” Caspian muttered.  
“That is assuming they wouldn’t have sent word to you about Ana’s capture,” Leon added as an afterthought.  
“They wouldn’t have… Not because they thought I wouldn’t care, but because they knew I would head straight back to the castle to head up the search party.”  
“So there’s every possibility that enough of your men are here,” Arthur surmised, sounding a bit relieved.  
  


Before Caspian could answer, there was a loud crash followed by a scream. Arthur and Caspian both rushed towards the cell door to see if they could tell what was going on. They couldn’t see anything, but the sounds of fighting kept growing louder, indicating someone was fighting their way towards them. Though neither of them could actually see the door leading out of the dungeon, they could tell it was opened when light shone through and the noise got louder. Two human figures came running towards the cells and both men stepped back to fight, unsure whether they were friend or foe. 

“Sire!” one of the men cried once they reached their cell. He had light brown hair and piercing blue eyes that made Merlin uncomfortable.  
“Halwende… Enoch,” Caspian said, approaching.  
“Glenstorm’s men are taking care of the guards,” the same man from before spoke. “There’s not as many as we would’ve thought. Apparently, they were not expecting us… The rest of us split into groups to find you.”  
“I’m surprised you weren’t separated,” the other man said. He had dark hair and dark eyes, but they were kind. “It would’ve made escaping easier.”  
“Escaping is hard when a sorceress is keeping you locked up,” Caspain said.  
“A sorceress?” the first man repeated, eyes wide.  
“I would like to explain, but I would prefer to be out of this cell first!” Caspian huffed.  
“Right… Sorry. I’ll look for the keys,” he said before taking off.  
“Sire…” the man still remaining said, eyes searching the cells. “Is Ana not with you? When we received her message, we thought she would be with you but…”  
“She was, Enoch, but not anymore,” Caspian told him.  
“We’ll continue searching the place for her,” he said, preparing to leave.  
“You won’t find her here… The witch did not want her. She only wanted us.” As he spoke something in his tone made the other man’s face fall.  
  
He went to speak when Halwende returned with a set of keys and shoved one into the lock. The first attempt was unsuccessful and when he tried the others, they also failed. The man huffed in annoyance and looked about ready to throw the keys. “You know what?” he said to no one in particular. “I’m just going to get Anviel.” Then he left without a word to anyone else and they could hear his footsteps running back.  
“Who’s Anviel?” Arthur asked. “And how is he going to help us get out of this cell if the keys don’t work?”  
“You have your men,” Caspain shrugged with a glance at Percival. “I have mine.”  
“I’m afraid it’s going to take more than a man to bust through those bars,” Gwaine retorted. “Otherwise we’d already be out.”  
“Exactly,” Caspian replied with a grin. “They’ve been known to hold open the gate leading into the castle.”  
“What?” Arthur exclaimed, remembering how heavy that gate looked. No normal man, not even Percival, could hold open the gates in Camelot and he suspected it would be much the same for Narnia.

The clopping of hooves on the stone floor echoed through the dungeons, attracting their attention. Fighting could still be heard, but it seemed to die down. Halwende returned much quicker than the other figure which seemed to be taking his time approaching the cell. When he finally did, Arthur and the others took a step back in shock. Before anyone could speak, the ox like creature backed up and then proceeded to charge the cell door. It was thrown off its hinges and fell to the ground with a resounding clang. Caspian never even flinched when the Narnian came to a halt beside him.  
“Thank you,” he said, patting the creature on the back. “Anviel, Arthur King of Camelot and His Knights.” He introduced, gesturing to each one. “This is Anviel, a minotaur.” Then without another word, the King promptly left the cell with Anviel following after, leaving the others startled in their wake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is where the changes would start to occur between the two versions (lighter vs darker). The rescue and all the chapters after this would be subsequently changed based on which path the story takes.


	14. Patience is the Companion of Wisdom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They make the decision to search for Ana

The men were able to exit the mansion with no struggle. Caspian’s men had chased off most of Morgana’s men and those that hadn’t run away were killed. Though they searched high and low, Morgana was nowhere to be seen. Merlin suspected she had fled when she realized she was being overrun. It was a typical strategy of hers. 

The only surprise was the distinct lack of major injuries on any of Caspian’s men. They only had minor scrapes and cuts, nothing life-threatening. It also appeared as though all the men who stormed the castle had returned; no one had died. Merlin thought it was unusual because Morgana always went out fighting, taking as many with her as possible.  _ Perhaps that was why she had run…  _ Merlin thought. 

“Sire!” a creature, half-man-half-horse, approached King Caspian as he left the mansion. The minotaur excused himself and left the two to converse alone, the Knights and Arthur still lingering behind. All seemed weary of this creature.   
“General,” King Caspian said, “I have so many questions…”   
“Of course, milord,” the General said. “But perhaps Amari should take a look at you first… All of you.” His eyes roamed over the foreigners standing just behind his king.    
“We need to find Ana!” the dark-haired King protested. “She’s been gone too long.” He made to go around him and the creature moved to block his path. “Glenstorm!” Caspian shouted, not pleased with the general ignoring his orders.    
“I’ll send men to pick up her trail,” Glenstorm assured him. “You cannot hope to save Ana if you’re in no shape to do so.” The king didn’t seem satisfied. “We will find her, I promise. Half the men here came simply because they heard Ana was in danger. The rest were recruited when we realized you were captured. I figured we needed more men… Trust me, no one here is heading back to Narnia without Ana.” 

The king visibly deflated, seeming to agree with Glenstorm’s statement. With a nod of his head, the creature moved out of his king’s path and waved several men forward. Merlin noticed they were all humans, and not Narnians, much to Arthur’s relief. He seemed more relaxed when they joined. 

“Take their majesties and their men to see Amari,” the General instructed them. “She’s expecting them.” 

Immediately, they set to follow his instructions. Gently grabbing them by the arms, they were guided through fray. Anyone in their path parted ways when they saw them and returned to their spots once they had passed. Before they could get too far, Caspian stopped and turned back to Glenstorm as Merlin and the others were lead past. 

“There were twenty of them,” Merlin heard the king tell him. When he heard no response from the general, he glanced back. The general was talking to two dogs, a few other creatures Merlin did not recognize, and—surprisingly—mice. He assumed the general had heard though when Caspian continued to follow them. 

They were brought to a quieter part of the camp. Logs and fallen stumps were being used as chairs and a small fire had been set up, though nothing was on it. There were a few of what Merlin assumed to be servants—judging by the lack of armor and the absence of any lavish clothing—moving about the place. A servant not that much older than himself carried linens to a tent that was being set up. 

All the men scanned the clearing and Merlin noticed Arthur’s furrowed brow as he did so. It wasn’t the campsite that made him frown, but the lack of a physician. There were some Narnians present, helping set up, as well as the aforementioned servants, but no one that resembled that of a physician. The men escorted them also seemed puzzled by this as their eyes scanned the area. One of them even left to speak with a servant as the others waited impatiently. 

The boy nodded his head, deposited his load, and took off somewhere out of sight. He hadn’t been gone long, when King Caspian huffed. Tired of waiting, the King tried to push his way past the men. He made it two steps back towards the direction they came when a voice spoke from the left of the group. 

“You men and your lack of patience…” the feminine voice chastised. 

Merlin and the others all turned their heads in her direction. There a woman stood with her silver hair braided up, something Gwen used to do Merlin noted. There was a bag strung across her shoulder that reminded him of what Gaius carried. Her arms were crossed and her face stern, giving Merlin the feeling of being lectured by his mother. It brought a small smile to his face at the thought. 

Beside her, stood the servant from before. He held what appeared to be blankets and another bag similar in size and shape to what the physician was carrying. It appeared that was what she had been fetching when the boy came to find her. The servant seemed nervous as to whether he was allowed to move or if he should stay nearby. 

“You can just set those down anywhere, Cachi,” the woman told him. He nodded and then proceeded to the tent as she approached them. She scanned them all carefully, eyes critical and professional. Merlin did notice the slight look of worry that briefly crossed her face as she looked at them. She hid it so quickly that he almost didn’t see it, but he had to wonder what the look was for. 

“Now let’s see… Not too many visible injuries. But I think we’ll start with you first,” she stated, pointing to Gwaine.   
“Me?!” Gwaine exclaimed, sounding alarmed. “Why me?”    
“Because you have to most obvious wound.” She gestured to his head for emphasis and then pointed to the logs near the fire. “Sit down over there. The rest of you can make my job easier by taking off your shirts and sitting down nearby. If you’d like, the tent is almost finished to allow for some privacy.”    
“Amari,” Caspian pleaded. “We’re fine.”    
“Let me be the judge of that,” Amari answered and as an afterthought added: “Sire.”    
“Can you even treat all of us by yourself?” Percival asked.    
“Of course. I’ve had much worse looking patients than you and less time to treat them. Cachi can help a bit if needed as well as some of the other servants. Ana could too… if she were here.” The last sentence told Merlin exactly what had caused the woman to slip earlier. She didn’t see Ana with them and knew that was a bad sign.    
“The sooner you finish, the sooner I can go after her,” Caspian huffed. 

Instead of waiting for a reply, the King did do as instructed and soon the others did as well. Merlin felt awkward doing so and instead tried to make himself scarce around the edges of the camp. He hoped Arthur and the others would be too distracted to notice he wasn’t beside them. The men who had escorted them disappeared shortly after Amari had shown up, so they couldn’t stop him either. However, he should’ve known that the physician was too keen for that and soon he found himself in the same state as the others, much to his embarrassment.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN ~**

Food was brought to them as they gathered around a small fire. Caspian had spent the best part of the day talking with the general. Merlin knew it was something regarding Ana, but had no idea what it was exactly. Whatever they discussed upset the King greatly as he stormed back to the fire and paced for a bit. He didn’t even seem to notice Arthur or the others, who exchanged glances with each other, before Arthur stood up. 

“They lost her trail?” Arthur guessed.    
“No…” the king said. “They found it and sent a few men to follow it.”   
“That’s good,” Leon stated, earning nods from the other Knights.   
“What’s the issue?” Arthur asked.    
“They’re waiting for the scouts to come back before we leave. I’m tired of waiting,” Caspian told him. “But I understand the reasoning behind it so I didn’t override his command. They want to make sure we’re not walking into a trap.” 

Arthur nodded and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Then without another word, he returned to sitting with his men. Caspian joined them at the fire a few moments later, seeming resigned to wait. The men lapsed into silence, not knowing what else to say. 

As the sun began to set, the king grew anxious again. He didn’t want to have to wait another day to rescue Ana. She had been gone too long as it was. But since the scouts had yet to return, they didn’t have much choice. So with much reluctance, Caspian and the others settled down for the night. 

Many were put on watch and Caspian briefly pondered volunteering for a shift since he was unlikely to get sleep. However, he knew Glenstorm would never approve of such an action and the centaur would be right. If expected to be of any help, he would need to at least try to sleep. So he tried to clear his mind and eventually exhaustion took its toll, allowing him fall asleep, dreaming of nothing. 

Caspian was awoken early the following morning by the sound of quiet voices. He was up immediately, approaching the general and the two conversing Telmarines. He didn’t need to hear the conversation to know what it was about. Those two men had been part of scouts sent ahead of the group. Glancing around, he confirmed the others had also returned to camp and knew they were safe to leave. 

“We’ll wait until daylight,” Glenstorm told them, much to Caspian’s disapproval.    
“We should leave immediately,” he protested.    
“Give the men that just returned a chance to rest, Sire,” Glenstorm explained. “You and the others could also do with at least one more good meal before we leave.”    
“She’s already been with those bandits for at least four days! How much longer do you expect her to wait?” Caspian exclaimed, angry.    
“We saw no sign of her at the camp,” one of the Telmarines told him. “We found the bandits, but they weren’t guarding anything…”    
“What?” Caspian questioned, shocked.    
“She’s not with the bandits anymore,” Glenstorm said. “They tried to find a trail of where she went, but they couldn’t.”    
“All the more reason we should leave now!”    
Glenstorm sighed, knowing there was little he could do to persuade the king otherwise. “As you wish, Sire,” he told him before turning to the others. “Wake everyone up, break camp, and find some weapons for His Majesty and the others to use.” 

The two ran off to do as instructed, alerting those on watch first before moving to the others. Within moments, the camp was a flurry of activity as people rushed to carry out their orders. Merlin and the Knights were awoken much more calmly than the other people sleeping. Feeling a need to be useful, Merlin helped to disassemble the camp and gather supplies. As he was doing so, Amari approached him with a bag. 

“I can’t go with you into the campsite…” she explained rather shyly, to Merlin’s confusion. “If Ana needs immediate medical care, here are some supplies for her. She gets a different dose than everyone else so please make sure she gets only the ones in here.” She tried to hand him the bag, but he didn’t take it right away.   
“What makes you think I’ll be going into the camp?” Merlin asked. 

He kind of assumed they would head home soon. Not that Ana’s ordeal wasn’t important, but just that he wasn’t sure how much longer Arthur would stay safe. They already had one close call and Merlin was really hoping to get back to Camelot before there was another. He also wasn’t sure how much longer Arthur would be willing to stay. 

“I’ve already asked His Majesty and he was afraid something would break if a fight happened,” Amari explained. “Your king has already agreed to join King Caspian so I assumed you would be going with him.”    
“I didn’t know he had agreed,” Merlin said, feeling embarrassed. “I’m sorry.”    
The physician simply smiled. “So you’ll take them then?”    
“Of course…”    
Amari looked relieved. “When they raid the bandit camp, myself and the servants will stay behind. So we’ll work on setting up a more permanent—though still temporary —infirmary while the others proceed on. Most of the army will stay behind as well; there’s no need for all of them, you see. It’s not safe for me to travel with them into the camp, but you for some reason seem to be able to. If Ana is too seriously injured and cannot be moved, you should find what you need in this bag. I was told you had medical training…”   
“I’ve trained under the Court Physician of Camelot,” Merlin told her. “But I’m not a physician by any means.”    
“You’ll just need to stabilize her until I can get to her,” Amari said and Merlin knew she was preparing for the worst.    
“I will do my best.”   
“Thank you,” the physician smiled, handing Merlin the pack once more. This time he took it and returned to Arthur’s side. 

Seven horses were brought forward and a couple of the men approached with weapons. Caspian was handed a sword with a blood red scabbard and golden tips. The sword itself had golden hilt in the shape of a lion and Merlin could tell just by looking at it that it was a powerful blade. Arthur and the others chose a sword from the weapons they had been brought, though they weren’t as immaculate as the one King Caspian had been given.

“I’m afraid the others are subpar in comparison,” General Glenstorm explained, nodding towards Caspian’s sword.    
“It’s alright,” Arthur said, glancing at the other swords.   
“Don’t worry princess,” Gwaine said, much to Arthur’s dismay, “I’m sure once we  _ talk _ with those bandits, they’ll be happy to return your sword to you.”    
“Don’t pretend like you don’t want your own sword as well,” Elyan teased. “We all know how picky you are when it comes to a blade.”    
“Me? Picky? Some swords just fit better,” Gwaine argued.    
“With what? Your personality?” Arthur countered.    
“But of course,” Gwaine smiled, causing everyone to laugh except King Caspian. “But why does he get such a fancy sword?” Gwaine whispered in disappointment once the centaur and King Caspian left to talk.    
“Because he’s the King, Gwaine,” Leon explained.    
“Kings have many different swords,” Elyan added, “in case they lose one in a battle.”    
“My guess is the one he was carrying earlier wasn’t his best sword,” Percival agreed. “More like a travel sword. That one—it’s fit for a King and clearly made for battle.” 

_ So was Arthur’s _ , Merlin thought. He probably should get that sword back or else Kilgharrah wouldn’t be too happy. 

“I’d settle for having my favorite horse,” Caspian said, approaching. “Destier will be jealous when he sees me on another.”    
The others chuckled and Gwaine clapped him on the back. “Glad to see you haven’t lost your sense of humor,” he told the King.   
Caspian stared at him blankly. “I was being serious,” he said, causing the smile to fall from Gwaine’s face. 

All the others sobered immediately, many casting their eyes to the ground in embarrassment. There was a moment of awkward silence as Gwaine tried to figure out what to say. Then a smile graced the King’s lips and he clapped Gwaine’s shoulder. 

“It was a joke, Sir Gwaine,” he assured him. “I figured that I should at least try to cheer up.” This comment caused relief to flood the others faces and Gwaine to grinned cheekily. “Now, if you don’t have anything better to do, we’re leaving now.” 

Arthur sent him a nod of confirmation and mounted one of the horses that had been provided. The Knights and Merlin followed suit and then they were on their way. The company was lead by two of the scouts. Caspian and Glenstorm took the lead right after them with Arthur and his men trailing behind. Some of the army was behind them; over half of them had been ordered back when they realized they all would not be needed. 

They traveled for what felt like hours before they stopped for a break. Judging by the sun, Merlin knew they hadn’t been traveling that long but he found no reason to say anything about it. During this break, some bread and berries were served and it was then that Merlin realized they hadn’t had a chance to eat breakfast. He assumed this was the main reason for stopping so soon. Though Merlin knew feeding such a large group would take awhile, he was a bit surprised by how soon they were back on their feet. He knew it was likely because of the small meal. 

It was past midday when the company was signaled to halt again. The King dismounted and approached the scouts. There was a brief conversation between the three before Caspian shook his head and moved back towards his horse. The scouts moved forward, moving off the path and into the woods. Though Merlin was confused as to what was happening, he assumed they were getting closer to the camp and the scouts were sent out in search of them. 

“They’re on the move,” one of the scouts said upon their return.   
“How far ahead?” Caspian asked.   
“A few hours…” he said. “It looks like they’re taking their time.”    
“Where are they headed?”    
“Towards Archenland.”    
“We can get ahead of them and cut them off,” King Caspian suggested.    
“Sire,” the other scout spoke as the other nodded. “There’s one more thing.”    
“What is it?” Caspian nearly snapped. He was worried about Ana and felt like this man was slowing him down although he knew that wasn’t the case.    
“I found this…” the scout held something out to the King that Merlin couldn’t see, “It’s proof she was there, but given the state of it, I’d imagine it was left a few days ago. It’s in the opposite direction of the camp…”    
“They could be trying to throw us off,” Glenstorm interjected. 

“They don’t expect anyone to follow…” Caspian said. “At least not for awhile… They would’ve discarded it earlier if that was the case.”    
“I still say we press on,” Glenstorm said. “She could’ve just lost it… It’s been how many days since you saw her?”   
“About four days...” 

In the end, it was decided that the group would press on towards the bandit camp. Whatever they had found appeared to greatly disturb the king, but Merlin wasn’t sure if it was because it was off the trail or the item. He had no idea what it was, but assumed it was something important for the scouts to know it belonged to Ana. 

Merlin wondered if Ana had planted it and they were now heading in the wrong direction. But what would cause her to leave a trail now? She hadn’t left one until now and that made Merlin worried as they drew closer to the bandit camp. Perhaps that was also why King Caspian seemed to be so on edge. He wasn’t sure how to take this new piece of evidence. 

When they were close enough, the group split. King Caspian, Arthur, and the knights would enter the camp first, to be non-threatening. The others would join in if there was trouble. With orders to keep at least one alive, they moved in. 


	15. Attack on the Bandit Camp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bandits get what’s coming to them and Arthur’s development gives Merlin hope for the future.

They approached the bandit camp quietly. Caspian’s men kept the perimeter of the encampment while Arthur and his men joined him in preparing to attack. He had told the Narnians that he needed at least one of them alive, if Ana was not present. He only hoped he could do the same thing as he was filled with so much anger and worry right now. He hoped they wouldn’t get the best of him 

Caspian scanned the camp carefully, but he didn’t catch sight of Ana’s familiar red hair. His anger grew and he took a deep breath to calm himself. It was never good to go into a battle angry. He glanced at Arthur and then muttered the order to keep one alive again. They all nodded in understanding and then Caspian nodded sharply.

He gripped Rhindon tighter in his hand, feeling guilty for brandishing such a weapon in this mindset, and walked forward. The others followed suit, and they calmly approached the camp. They wouldn’t jump the bandits; they had more honor than them. Instead, they would demand answers but fight only if they had to.

Hearing their approach, the bandits stopped what they were doing and grabbed their weapons. They watched the treeline in anticipation of an attack. The watch spotted them first and went to sound the alarm, when Caspian stepped forward.

“We’re only here to see Boyd,” he told him. “We will only fight you if we have to.”

The man on watch frowned, but took off towards the group of bandits. Caspian merely shook his head and the group pushed forward, emerging from the treeline. Having been forewarned, the leader stood with a smirk on his face. His sword at his waist and it only served to make Caspian’s brow furrow in anger. The leader still didn’t take them as a serious threat.

“You escaped the witch...” was the leader’s first statement. “How?”  
“We had some help,” Caspian retorted, not in the mood for his games. “You know why we’re here?”   
“Of course…” Boyd smirked. “You want the girl. Or rather what’s left of her.” To his surprise, Caspian’s face only twitched slightly at the jibe.   
“Where is she?” Arthur asked, sensing Caspian was struggling to keep his anger in check and couldn’t speak.   
“Don’t know…” he grinned, not sorry in the least. “Sold her days ago. Could be anywhere by now.” He tapped his pocket to emphasize the pay he had gotten from her. “They paid a lot of money for her. She was a special one. Feisty and a fighter. I’m sure she’s had that beaten out of her by now.”   
“Who’d you sell her to?” Caspian asked through gritted teeth.   
“Can’t recall the name,” Boyd answered in a tone that said he very much knew who it was.   
“Who?” Caspian asked again, his grip on his sword tightening even more.   
“The girl is your weakness. She’s made you weak,” the bandit teased. “The reason you haven’t attacked us already is because she wouldn’t approve. You _ won’t _ hurt us.”

He seemed so sure that Caspian wanted to prove him wrong. But Ana had always said that allowing yourself to be provoked into a fight doesn’t prove strength but weakness. The bandit was trying to get him angry, provoke him into delivering the first blow. So he was right in one aspect, and Caspian held his tongue. The leader only smiled more, pleased that he has been proven right.

Then Caspian got an idea and he smiled. His position relaxed and he released his hold on his sword. Boyd noticed the change in demeanor immediately and his smile faded. He shifted nervously, unsure what he had missed. There was no reason for this change.

“You’re right that I won’t hurt you,” Caspian said. “But I can have you arrested for banditry, participating in the buying or selling of slaves, and capturing a royal. Two in your case. All are illegal in any of the three countries we find ourselves between.”  
“What?” Boyd asked, obviously not seeing it as a threat. “How do you plan on doing that? There’s twenty strong men here and only six fighters amongst you.”   
“Ah!” Gwaine spoke up, grinning. “I’ve always loved a challenge.”   
The bandit let out a chuckle. “You stand no chance. Men! Kill them.”

With the leader’s order, everyone drew their swords. There was a roar as men on both sides ran to engage the other. The Narnians stationed around the edges made their way through the trees at the sound of swords crashing together. They immediately joined the fight to help their king, though it was unneeded since the seven had seemed to be managing well on their own. As a result, the scuffle was short and ended when Caspian disarmed the leader.

“That’s unfair! You ambushed us!” the leader cried.  
“On the contrary,” Caspian said, sword at his neck. “I informed you we had help. That would imply that there were more of us. And, you started the fight. How can it be an ambush if they were just rushing to their king's aid?” Caspian’s voice was challenging, sword tip pressing closer.   
“Your majesty,” Glenstorm interrupted, approaching, “you need him alive. We still need to know where Ana is.”   
Caspian sighed, but withdrew his sword. “You’re right, of course. Bring them!”

At Caspian’s order, Glenstorm waved his hand and the Narnians brought all the surviving men forward. The leader was the only one to escape without injury. As a result, some of the bandits had more severe injuries while others only had mild cuts. Caspian glanced at Glenstorm, while thinking about how best to get them to talk.

“First one to talk gets treatment!” Arthur stated, stepping forward.  
“You’re honorable!” Borris argued. “You won’t withhold treatment for our injuries.”   
“For you I might,” Caspian muttered quietly, to Borris’ surprise. “But for those who talk, you can be treated by the court physician and be sent on your way.”   
“You’ll pardon us?” one asked.   
“No… I cannot pardon such heinous actions,” King Caspian said. 

Merlin watched the exchange between the bandits and the men uneasily. Something didn’t sit right with him, as if what the bandits told them would be terrible. He wondered if the king could sense it too and that was why he was so tense. 

Before the king could explain further, Borris grew angry and managed to push the two guards near him away. In one fell swoop, he lunged at Caspian hoping to catch him off guard. But his movements had been too erratic and he drew attention to himself, providing Caspian with just enough time to side-step him. 

Furious, the bandit withdrew a concealed dagger—one that looked familiar judging by the king’s reaction—and charged at him. The King side-stepped him again and this time the bandit stumbled and fell. Glenstorm and his men made to move in, when Caspian held up a hand to stop them. With a gesture of his head, a sword was tossed in the bandits direction. 

“If we’re going to fight, might as well make it fair,” Caspian told Borris, withdrawing Rhindon once more from its scabbard.

The bandit smiled darkly as he rose to his feet. He grabbed the sword and without another word, charged at the King. This time his blow was parried and a duel started between the two men. Merlin may not have much experience with duels, but he had watched Arthur fight in enough of them to know this one was unfair from the start. 

The king was calm and direct with his moves, not trying to land a blow, but not letting the bandit land one either. The bandit was angry, his movements were haphazard and wild. If the King hadn’t been as calm, the bandit might’ve gotten lucky enough to land a blow. But as it was, Merlin was not surprised when the bandit lost his sword a few minutes into the fight. 

Still, the bandit was provided with one more chance when Caspian backed up and allowed him to retrieve his sword. Foolishly, he accepted the challenge and the fight went on a moment longer. The second round ended with the bandit on the ground, the king’s sword at his chest. 

“Anyone else?” the king asked as Borris was dragged back with the others. “No? Good.” At the inclination of his head, one of the Narnians headed back to the camp while the others kept their swords at the ready. “Where is Ana?” he pressed again. 

The bandits shifted uncomfortably, and most cast their eyes to the ground. The only ones who refused to look away were the leader, Borris, and one whose name they didn’t recall. Both Boyd and Borris glared at Caspian, hatred in their eyes. But the last one, he had a look of almost admiration on his face. 

“She was sold to Teivel!” he blurted out after a pause. The bandits looked at him in anger.   
“Thank you,” Caspian said, directing his attention to him. “Where would I be likely to find him?”   
“Darren! You say one more word and I’ll make sure you regret ever being born,” the leader warned, causing the other bandits to tremble in fear.   
But Darren paid him no mind. “He owns a house about a day’s ride from here. It’s where he breaks them in,” he explained, eyes turning to the ground in shame.   
Caspian pursed his lips and nodded in response. He turned to Glenstorm. “Take this man to see Amari.”   
“My lord,” Glenstorm said with a bow.

Caspian knelt down to pick up the dagger that had been tossed aside as Glenstorm grabbed the bandit by his arm and pulled him to his feet. The two passed the Narnian that had left previously, this time carrying several coiled ropes. Merlin then understood what the King had sent him to do, and this matter was only confirmed by the king’s order. 

“Tie them up and search them thoroughly. I want to see what else they took from her,” Caspian ordered. Merlin saw Arthur’s brow furrow a bit at the statement, perhaps in confusion. He himself was a bit confused as to what was happening, but he assumed the dagger belonged to Ana.   
“Have you had this the whole time?” Caspian questioned the bandit who shrugged.   
“It seemed like a waste to just leave them there,” Borris responded. “Had no use for the bow, but a dagger one could always use.”   
“Decided to have some fun with them once you left,” Boyd sneered, saying it like they had a choice in the matter. “Well fun for us at least…” 

Caspian’s face darkened, but he did not rise to the bait. He simply frowned at them and then moved away. He was still watching the bandits but further away so he wouldn’t do something rash. Arthur and the knights formed a small circle away from both the bandits and the king. They started to discuss what to do next when Anviel approached them. In his arms was a small pile of weapons.   
“I believe these are yours,” the minotaur stated, depositing them gently on the ground, before turning to leave.   
“Wait a minute,” Arthur said, clearing his throat. He selected one of the swords and held it out to the minotaur. “This one isn’t ours… I believe it’s your King’s.” 

The minotaur nodded and took the sword. As he left, the others stepped forward to grab theirs. Setting aside the ones they had been given for the raid, they secured each of their blades. Merlin gently smiled, glad that Arthur had Excalibur back. Gwaine said something that Merlin missed, but had the other knights in a fit of laughter. Even Arthur was smiling. 

“That’s enough Gwaine,” Arthur said. “We need to work out where we go from here.” The others nodded and reformed their circle to plan their trip home. 

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

Glenstorm noticed that Darren kept his hand wrapped around his middle as he was guided to Amari’s makeshift infirmary. She had set it up near the bandit’s encampment when she got word of a possible battle. It could be taken down in a hurry if needed, but it was best not to. The infirmary was surrounded by even more Narnians, as what many assumed was half the army had taken off to help their king. Glenstorm guided Darren to the middle and summoned for Amari. She came not a moment later, Cachi trailing behind her. Expecting one of their men—or possibly Ana—she was taken aback by the strange man. She sent a look to the centaur in confusion that the bandit didn’t miss.

“His majesty wishes for him to have the best treatment possible,” Glenstorm explained. “He was very helpful.”  
“Of course,” Amari smiled, demeanor changing into that of physician. She began prodding the man’s wound. “News of Ana?”   
“Yes. No doubt King Caspian is planning on riding out to rescue her now.” Amari hummed to ensure she heard, but did not answer. “I must take my leave.”

He returned to see the Narnians tying the rest of the men to the trees. Arthur and his men stood to one side, talking amongst themselves. Caspian watched the bandits with a puzzled look on his face. Glenstorm knew it was because he was torn between what he should do in terms of a rescue. He approached him to offer advice.

“If you’re going to tell me to stay here,” Caspian said before Glenstorm even had a chance to open his mouth, “you can forget it. It’s not a possibility.”  
“Actually, I was going to encourage you to go,” Glenstorm said with slight amusement and Caspian turned to him, surprised. He felt the need to explain. “I’ve heard rumors of this man. Until now, I never thought them to be true. He’s as vile and dangerous as men come.”   
“Sounds like points for me to stay,” Caspian frowned, not following.   
By now, the others had grown interested and approached as Glenstorm explained. “He buys people, primarily women but some men too. He’ll pay high prices for those with magic, creatures of magic, and those considered pure. Ana fits both of those, meaning he can get a lot for her. But that’s not the worst part”   
“Go on,” Caspian prodded, his concern growing.   
“This man, Teivel, is apparently good at breaking his ‘pets’—as he likes to call them—down until they’re nothing but a shadow of themselves. The more they fight him, the more he enjoys it and the worse their treatment gets. He beats them down until he’s the only person they know and they seek to please him. They have to pass some test—I don’t know what is, my lord, as I did not press. I thought this to be only rumors, a reason to scare many into staying within the border. After the test he declares them ready, and then others pay him to have their fun with his 'pets'.They pay more for the newer ones. Depending on how long Ana’s been with him will determine what kind of state she’s in.”   
“She’s not gonna break easily…” Caspian breathed, horrified.   
“I know… But as I said, he prefers it that way. You also mentioned that she appeared weak. There’s only so much she’s gonna be able to take. Teivel has apparently never failed to break someone.”   
“Ana’s strong. She knows help will be coming.” Caspian didn’t sound as hopeful as he would’ve liked.   
“Either way, she’s going to want a familiar face. Someone she trusts. I’m not sure how close a Narnian is going to be able to get. You’re the most likely to get through without problems. And she trusts you. She's still a bit leery of some Telmarines.” At Caspian’s frown he waved dismissively. “For another time.”   
“I can’t trust that others won’t try to hurt her first,” Caspian tutted.   
Glenstorm nodded. “I only ask that you don’t go alone. If not me, then some other men.”   
“We’ll come with,” Arthur volunteered and Caspian looked at him in surprise.   
“You do not have to keep helping us, King Arthur,” Caspian told him. “You’re across the border and you can head back to Camelot.”   
“We want to help,” Arthur assured him. “I’ve discussed it with my men and we’ve decided to help her out.”   
“Why?” His voice was laced with a tad suspicion.   
Arthur either didn’t notice it or didn’t care. “We owe you for helping us with Morgana…” he said but a nudge from Percival got him to continue. “And because she showed us nothing but kindness since the beginning. She knew of my hatred but didn’t wish to keep her magic a secret from me. She’s an honest person and I feel like this is partially my fault. We pressured her into staying behind because I didn’t wish to be near her. Instead of protesting, she accepted the dismissal.”   
“She’s so used to having to hide part of herself. I guess she was just relieved to have it out,” Caspian agreed.   
“Perhaps.”   
“If I didn’t know any better,” Caspian said with a smile, “I’d say Ana’s growing on you.”   
“Well, maybe a little,” Arthur answered, not ashamed. “She’s likable, even with magic.”

Caspian nodded in agreement and made for the horses. Arthur and the Knights followed with Merlin trailing behind. As such, they didn’t see his proud smile, but Glenstorm and some of the Narnians did. Merlin knew that Arthur was one step closer to becoming the greatest King of Albion. Accepting Ana for who she was was a great thing for Arthur, a step in the right direction. The Narnians watched the men depart with smiles on their faces. The warlock’s destiny was getting closer to being fulfilled. 


	16. Into the Devil’s Den

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They are one step closer to rescuing Ana, but they have to face one final challenge.

They rode hard through the countryside. The bandit had told them it was only a day’s ride but they didn’t wish to waste time. Caspian wanted to rescue Ana as soon as possible. She didn’t need to stay any longer in that dreadful place. It was torture just to think about the state she would be in when he found her. He wondered if she would be the Ana he desperately needed right now because he wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep a level head. He wanted to kill that man for all the harm he had caused. Not just to Ana, but the harm he had caused everyone who had ever been in his house.

After pushing the horses for a quite a bit, Caspian pulled the reins to to a halt and the others did the same. He jumped from the saddle and lead the horse to a nearby stream. He tied the reins to a branch and allowed the horse a rest while he thought of a plan. His thoughts were taking a dark course and Caspian needed something to distract him.

“What exactly is the plan to rescue the damsel?” Gwaine piped up, interrupting his thought process.   
Caspian frowned at the word  _ damsel  _ but answered his questions. “It’s a work in progress.” His voice was sharp and his tone caused Gwaine to refrain from any further questions.   
“Perhaps we can tell him we’re interested in buying her?” Arthur suggested in his place. Caspian raised an eyebrow, signaling him to continue. “Ask him if he’s willing to sell any of his ‘pets.’ If he says yes, you can tell him you have a specific type and describe Ana.”   
“I thought the same thing…” Caspian told him. “But we have no idea if he sells them or if we’d be allowed near her.”   
“There are many factors to consider,” Leon chimed in. “Perhaps if we all went?” This caused both Kings to frown. “If you told him you wanted someone for all of your friends maybe he’d be more willing to sell. Or at least let us see all  of  them so we could figure out where Ana is.”   
Caspian sighed and looked away. He gazed at the water for a long moment, thinking. “We’ll play it by ear… Our number one priority is getting Ana out, but if you have the opportunity to help others, I'm not going to stop any of you.”   
“We can do that,” Arthur agreed. “Shall we go?”

Caspian nodded and made his way to the horses. He untied the reins before jumping into the saddle. With a click of his tongue and a tap to the horses flank with his heels, they took off. With any luck, they’d reach the place before nightfall. Hopefully, they wouldn’t have to wait until the morning for a rescue.

As  they  rode, Caspian tried to prepare himself for the sight he might see. But the truth was, he had no idea what awaited them at Teivel’s home. He had no experience with this and the act had been banned from the Kingdom as soon as he became King. The Telmarines might’ve liked to have slaves, but Caspian was sure to inform them that anyone caught buying or selling someone else, Narnian or not, would be killed. Little did he know that it was happening just along the border, where he could do nothing to protect the innocents captured.

No amount of preparing would’ve helped with the sight that met them when they finally reached the house-like mansion. It was located at the top of a hill and was just as foreboding up close as in the distance. It was made completely out of dark grey and black stones. The place had no clear windows, and Caspian suspected it was to make it harder for the captives to escape. There were cages located on the ground outside the mansion while a few were attached to carts. As they drew closer, they noticed pits on the ground, covered with a large stone and Caspian swore he could hear crying coming from them. He glanced at the others and felt their unease.

They tied the horses to the post just outside the house. Two men exited through the door, laughing as they approached their horses. The two barely passed the men a glance but they all gripped their swords ever so slightly anyways. With an encouraging nod to each other, they approached the door. Merlin went to follow but was halted by all the Knights.

“Merlin… You need to stay out here,” Arthur told him firmly.   
“What? Why?” Merlin asked.   
“Because you’re a servant, not a knight. The man in there is unlikely to trust someone who brings their own servant to a place like this,” Percival explained.   
“You don’t know what you’re going to face in there!” Merlin argued.   
“Exactly,” Arthur said with a short smile. “That’s why I can’t be looking after you.”   
“You won’t have to—“ Merlin began, but was cut off.   
“No, Merlin. You’re staying out here!” Arthur ordered.   
“Just tell them I’m your servant,” Merlin protested. “The other kind…”   
Arthur looked disgusted at the thought and shared a glance with Caspian. “No,” he ordered again. “Stay with the horses.” With that command, he made his way to the door with the Knights following.   
Caspian stayed a moment longer and turned to Merlin. “Maybe you can use some of that magic of yours to free those stuck in the pits,” he whispered, causing Merlin’s eyes to widen. “I’ll watch after him, as payment for looking after me.”   
“But—“ Merlin said, but Caspian only smiled and patted his arm comfortingly. Knowing staying any longer would make Arthur suspicious, he approached the door.    
“Just telling him that he could prepare bandages and supplies while he waits. Ana might need it,” he lied at Arthur’s confused look. Then Caspian pushed the door open.

The place was well lit with candles lining the walls of the hall. A blood red carpet was laid in the floor and stood out from the dark walls and floor. They followed the hall until it opened into a large room. There were many candles and torches lit, making the room seem light and full of color. It contrasted deeply with the acts that went on in the place. There were more “cages” along the edges of the room, but this time they held people in various states of undress. They tried to avert their eyes as best as possible, but didn’t want to seem suspicious. 

There was a large staircase at the back of the room, opening up to a second level. It was a little darker than the lower level, but still bright. They suspected there were more private rooms and Caspian wondered what exactly possessed a person to build such a place. He found himself staring into the high ceiling as a distraction to his dark thoughts. 

A man dressed in clothes fit for a king approached them. Caspian was suddenly glad he hadn’t changed out of his dirty clothes as it made him look less distinguished than he really was. He fought the urge to look at the others and did his best to plaster on a giddy smile.

“You must be new here,” the man stated.   
“That obvious, huh?” Caspian responded.   
“Of course. Like all newcomers, you're struck in awe at this place.” The man grinned.   
Caspian nodded, knowing they were stricken but not with awe. “Well, we’ve all had experience with pets before. However, I wanted to try something different,” Caspian explained.   
The man chuckled darkly. “Teivel, the owner of this fine establishment.”   
“Ah! Just the man we were looking for,” Caspian said. “I’m Cachi. These are Gwaine, Eylan, Percival, Leon, and—“   
“ Peter,” Arthur cut in, stepping forward. “His brother.” The kings thought it best to lie about their names, just in case people talked. They were less likely to remember the Knights’.   
“Nice to meet you all. What can I do for you?” Teivel answered.   
“We’re travelers, you see. Never staying in one place for long. It gets lonely…” Caspian suggested, hoping he wouldn’t have to spell it out.   
“So you’re looking for some company?”   
“Yes. Would you be willing to sell any of your slaves?”   
“For the right price, I’d sell any of them. They’re nothing more than animals meant to please their master,” Teivel remarked with a grin and the others barely repressed their anger. “Is there anything in particular you seek?”   
“We want a girl…” Caspian began. “Preferably one with magic.”   
“Ah yes! It’s always fun to force then to use their magic only to have them whimpering in pain. They’ll cost you more though.”   
“Money is not an issue,” Arthur assured.   
“I’ve got quite a few who you’d be interested in,” Teivel told them.   
“Wonderful!” Caspian said. “There’s just one more thing—and I know this might seem like a weird request, but it’s for good reason I assure you—do you have any who are not fully trained?” The man looked at him like he had two heads. “My brother and I like to break them in a bit ourselves. We've found the trained ones to be a bit boring. It’s more fun if there’s still a little fight in them.” Caspian felt dirty just saying it.   
“I enjoy a good fight myself,” the man remarked in understanding. “I have two that you might be interested in. Come with me.”   
Caspian and Arthur stepped forward, but Arthur paused. “Since our men will also be enjoying our pet, would you mind if they tagged along? I would like to at least get their opinion on the matter.”   
“But of course! Can’t let you have all the fun now, can we?” Teivel chuckled and clasped Caspian on the back as if they were good friends. Caspian was once again forced to suppress his disgust.

Teivel lead them through another room and then down a flight of stairs. As they descended, it got darker and Arthur was glad to have his sword. He was actually surprised the man didn’t ask him to leave their weapons behind. It did help persuade them that this man didn't know who they were, or at least didn’t consider them a threat. 

When they reached the bottom of the staircase, the man removed a lit torch from its hook and gestured for them to follow. With the dim light, they could see cages lining both sides of the wall, forming a narrow hallway. Each cage held three to five people and as Teivel approached, they cowered in the corner with heads bowed. No one looked up and their demeanor radiated submission and hopelessness. There were about twenty cages on each side but they carefully examined each to see if they saw Ana. Caspian estimated that there were close to a hundred people in total and he worried he might’ve missed her.

“This is just where I keep the trained ones. When someone wants entertainment, I allow them to select one—or more—to take upstairs. We have private rooms set up on the second level, but also some public rooms like you saw when you came in. They’re trained to satisfy, no matter where they have to perform.” Teivel winked as he pushed open double doors at the end of the hall. “This is where I keep the feisty ones until they submit.”

Inside the door, there were two hallways, one going left and the other going right. But the first thing the men noticed was the various tools attached to the wall to the left of the doors. There were a variety of whips, some with sharp pieces of metal or glass while others looked like your typical coiled whip. Other tools included hammers, knives, things that looked like scissors and others yet that they had no recollection of. They all stared with barely concealed horror at the blood that stained each of them. Teivel mistook their expressions for one of fascination.   
“You like? I’ve used all of them at one point, some on one pet. Whatever it takes to break them.”

He took a right, away from the vile tools, and they saw more cages, but there were fewer this time. Each only held one person and Caspian noticed that they were mostly men. They didn’t shy away from the light, but instead grew outraged and rammed into the bars in hopes of being free. Teivel ignored them and stopped at the last two cages. These two held women, each beaten and tired. But their eyes held such hatred and defiance that told them they were far from broken. They both wore manacles with the strange markings that Ana’s had. But neither girl was Ana and Caspian grew concerned.

“Well?” Teivel prodded. “What do you think?”   
Caspian looked from the brunette to the darked skin girl as if debating. He was really trying to keep his rage and panic down. “Is this all?”   
“I’m afraid so…”   
“Hmm... Any preference?” Arthur asked his men, trying to find a subtle way to find Ana.   
“I was hoping for a redhead,” Percival said. “I heard they’ve got the most fight.”   
“I like the girl’s eyes,” Leon added, pointing to the brunette. “It’s a unique shade of blue…” This only seemed to enrage the girl as she slipped both her chained hands through the bars. She was stopped by Teivel’s firm grip on her wrist, causing her to whimper.   
“It just so happens I have a redhead with blue eyes,” he said as if remembering. “I wasn’t going to sell her because she’s completely untrained, disrespectful, not ready to be used but…”   
Caspian’s eyes lit up. “I’d be interested to see her.”

“Right this way,” Teivel said, releasing the girl and leading them back the way they came. “Although she’s untrained, she’s one of the special ones here and will cost a lot more.”   
“Money is no object, I assure you,” Caspian repeated Arthur’s earlier statement.    
The man nodded and continued speaking. “I acquired her from a group of bandits. They said she was too much to handle. As soon as I saw her, I understood. Even with the cuffs, she could access her magic a little. Nothing big, mind you. Just enough to remind everyone not to take the cuffs off.” He lead them past the rack of tools and down the left hallway which had locked doors instead of cages. He stopped at a door and fished a set of keys from his pocket. “She’s as fiery as they come, but she’ll submit soon enough. They all do in the end.”

With that, he placed a key in the lock. When opened the door, the men anxiously peaked inside. They saw a short chain bolted to the floor in the middle of the room. Attached to the chains were a pair of manacles that had been busted open and, judging by the markings, they were magic restraining ones. But that wasn’t the most concerning thing. No, it was the unmoving male body against the wall and the distinct lack of any prisoner.


	17. Rescuing Ana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They finally find out where Ana is

Caspian tried to school his shock and concern into a look of frustration as he stared at Teivel. But it didn’t matter as the man was too busy staring into the small room to notice.

“Impossible,” they heard him mutter as he cautiously stepped inside.

He waved his torch around to check the corners but it only revealed claw marks on the wall. The kind an animal would make if it tried to climb its way out. But seeing no sign of anything else, Teivel bent down to check the unconscious man. His actions told the others that he was dead. Teivel then moved to inspect the cuffs and that ended up being his mistake.

As soon as he was distracted, there was a loud screech. The sound preceded a dark bird-like creature crashing down on the unsuspecting man, the torch rolling away from him. Its claws dug into his shoulders and Teivel cried out. Then the bird rolled onto its side, using the momentum to toss him towards the doorway. Arthur and the others quickly jumped out of the way and Teivel hit the wall behind them with a loud crack. The man slid, boneless, to the ground as each of the men unsheathed their swords to attack.

“Wait!” Caspian cried, with one hand outstretched. The other was placed on his sword hilt, ready to draw it if needed.  
“Didn’t you see what that creature just did to him?” Arthur asked, gesturing to the fallen, likely dead, man.  
“I saw a cornered animal protecting itself…” Caspian stated. “Don’t you recognize it, or rather her?” Arthur frowned and looked between Caspian and the creature. He shook his head. “Allow me to show you…”

Slowly, Caspian approached the room, ignoring the protests from the others. The creature’s eyes flashed and it let out another screech as a warning. Caspian simply held up his hands and the creature backed towards the far wall, ready to attack any moment. Keeping one eye on the creature, he reached for the torch and directed it towards the animal. Not wanting to scare it into attacking him, he took a few steps forward but stopped when it screeched again.

He guided the torchlight from the creature’s head to its tail. This allowed Arthur and his men to see a large black and red feathered creature. It had a golden beak and yellow eyes that never left them. The animal resembled all birds—though the size of a gryphon—with the only difference being the fact that it appeared to have ears on the top of its head. Arthur gasped when he realized what it was. Though he had only seen it from afar compared to now, he knew it was a phoenix.

“Ana?” Arthur asked Caspian.  
“Yes…” Caspian answered. “Who else could it be?”

Caspian backed out of the room to give the animal more space. That seemed to make her relax a bit although her eyes still burned into them. She shifted a bit and her back revealed scarred feathers from serious wounds. They looked suspiciously like wounds from a whip and Caspian’s eyes widened marginally at that realization. They were too old to have happened in the last few days though, so he decided to let it go for now and instead searched for any recent ones. But Phoenix had adjusted so they could see her wings, tail, and head but nothing else. Her wings concealed the rest of her and Caspian suspected they hid injuries.

“Something’s wrong,” Caspian noted aloud.  
“What?” Arthur asked, sword still ready to slay her if he had to.  
“She hasn’t changed back,” he explained. “Nor has she tried to fly away. She didn’t use magic to attack that man, only surprise and strength. Even then, she stayed on the ground.”  
“She’s hurt,” Arthur surmised.  
“Possibly,” he agreed. “But I can’t tell where, nor will she let us close enough to treat her. She doesn’t appear to recognize us so whatever this is, Ana’s not in control. Otherwise, she would’ve calmed by now. We’ll need to keep our distance or she could strike.”  
“So what do you propose we do? Sit here and wait until it calms down enough and Ana shows up?” Arthur huffed.  
“No…” Caspian answered. He reached for his sword belt and the phoenix’s eyes watched him critically. “I suggest you work on freeing as many of his slaves as you can. I’m going to try and coax Ana out. Out of all of us, she’s more likely to respond to me.” He removed the belt from his waist and gently tossed it aside. Phoenix looked at him curiously for a brief moment before its eyes flashed a warning.  
“You just said this wasn’t Ana…” Arthur stated, concerned. “That thing could kill you.”  
“It could, yes. But Ana wouldn’t. I’m hoping to give her back the control she’s lost and get her out of here.”

Arthur sighed, not quite understanding what his plan was. But he realized the threat and knew Caspian was right. He had to hope that the King’s bond with Ana was stronger than whatever was keeping her in this state. So he nodded and turned to his men. He told them to carry out King Caspian’s orders and they split into two groups. Arthur and Gwaine headed towards the ones the man hadn’t been able to break yet, while the others went to free the ones who had lost hope. Both groups had their challenges, but they hoped it would go smoothly once the captives realized they were being freed. 

Arthur and Gwaine started with the women. They figured it would be simpler to work from the back towards the front. That way they wouldn’t be working against the flow of people as they busted open the locks. Gwaine used the hilt of his sword to break the lock on the cage of the dark girl with curly black hair. She reminded Arthur of Gwen and his heart twinged at the thought of her in this place. The girl looked shocked at first, but immediately jumped out and tried to strangle Arthur. Given her weakened state and the cuffs, Arthur was able to outmaneuver her. 

“Easy… We’re letting you go. No one deserves to be in a place like this,” he told her. When she stopped struggling, he released her. She held out her wrist with an incline of her hands to the cuffs. “Oh… Right.”

He examined the manacles for a moment and after finding no keyhole, he tried to pry them off with his sword. Being careful not to cut the girl’s wrist, he twisted the blade between the metal and her skin. She stood perfectly still and they began to pull apart. A bit of color returned to her face and she smiled for the first time. The irony wasn’t lost on him that he was freeing a sorceress, but there wasn’t much he could do since it wasn’t illegal here. Besides, magic or not, no one deserved to be in this place.

When he finally got them off, the girl looked at him, her eyes pleading. “He took a girl to The Wing of Tortured Souls two days ago. He does horrible, unspeakable things there,” her voice was timid and afraid. “Even with the cuffs on, she managed to hurt three people. She was a fighter all the way, and he decided that she needed to be in solitary. Normally we could hear the screams, but we haven’t heard anything from her. I don’t know if she’s dead or alive… Please, you have to help her.”  
“Someone is there now,” assuming it was the area they had just come from. “We’re going to get everyone out. You have my word,” he told her.

With a nod to Gwaine, he released his hold on her. She turned and swiftly made her way towards the exit, muttering words to each cell on her way out. Then the two men began breaking the locks on their cages and prying whatever manacles they could open. After the first, it was much easier to release the prisoners and they assumed the girl had told them what they were doing.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

While Arthur and his men worked to free the others, Caspian slowly approached Ana. He took one step and the creature screeched but didn’t move. He kept his hands up in a placating gesture and took one step at a time, keeping to the walls. If she shifted, he paused, watching her carefully. He didn’t want to scare her into attacking. If Ana couldn’t regain control, it was unlikely that he would survive an attack. And Ana... she would never be able to live with herself.

He took a deep breath and took another step. She didn’t move or send out any warnings. He took a couple more and soon he could touch her. Slowly he reached out his hand, but he pulled it back when she moved her head quickly out of range with a murderous glint in her eyes.

“Easy…” he said. “I’m not gonna hurt you. I just want to help Ana. I know she’s in there. You just have to let her out. You can trust me. I’m not gonna hurt her.”

The phoenix’s expression softened a bit as if it understood. It took two hesitant steps forward and Caspian held out his hand again. The moment it connected with her head, he felt a surge of power. The phoenix’s demeanor changed completely from one of protectiveness to one of calmness. Caspian removed his hand and watched as the animal characteristics disappeared and were replaced with human ones. 

In a split second, the bird was gone and all the remained was Ana curled in a ball on the ground. Her left hand was wrapped tightly around her stomach while her right laid loosely against her side. She shook but whether it was from fear or the cold, Caspian didn’t know. He briefly examined her to see if he could make out any injuries. Though her clothes were in tatters and dirty, he didn’t see any blood to indicate current or recent injuries. However, her feet were another story. She had no shoes so her feet were littered with cuts that were caked in both dirt and blood. Caspian was concerned with whether she’d be able to walk, or if she even should.

He knelt down next to her and carefully placed a hand on her right shoulder, without thinking. She hissed and he quickly removed his hand, remembering the dislocation she had received days ago. He kicked himself as he should’ve known it hadn’t been set due to how she was treating it. He knew that would only make the injury worse. It also explained why she didn’t fly away. She wasn’t able to.

“Ana?” he asked, not wanting to touch her and bring about more pain. “Are you hurt anywhere else?” She shook her head violently but didn’t speak. Something about her demeanor told him she was lying. “We can’t stay here, but I can’t move you without knowing where you’re hurt and how serious.” Again she said nothing and Caspian began to wonder if she even knew who was there. “Alright…” he stated, hesitantly. “I’m gonna roll you onto your back so I can grab your left arm, okay?”

Caspian waited for a response but got nothing. Sighing, he placed one hand on her head and the other on her hip. She violently flinched and pulled away from him. He froze and could only watch as she pulled herself to the nearest corner and drew her knees to her chest. Her eyes were glassy and held no recognition, only fear. She looked so small and it was the first time Caspian hadn’t seen her as a warrior, but a child. However, his worry only grew and he stood to approach her, feeling very out of countenance. He wasn’t sure how to treat this Ana.

“It’s alright,” he said placatingly. “I’m only trying to help you. I won’t touch without permission, alright? Can you stand?” She stared uncomprehendingly at him and Caspian began to wonder if she could even hear him.

Caspian tried to reach out, only for her to panic and try to get away. In her haste to move, Ana crashed to the ground, all air leaving her as she let out a cry of pain. He wanted to help but realized he had already caused her to fall, so he stayed back. Ana remained on the ground and looked at him through pain filled eyes. It was at that moment that she recognized him.

“Caspian?” her voice was weak and quiet.  
“It’s me, Ana,” he confirmed with a sad smile. He took a step forward and was glad when she didn’t flinch or try to move away. “Let me help you, okay? At least until we get somewhere safe. Then if you don’t want anyone to touch you, we’ll give you your space.”  
“We?” Ana’s brow furrowed as if trying to remember who he was with. It only deepened when she didn’t know.  
“King Arthur and his men,” Caspian supplied. She didn’t seem to remember them and only sent him a puzzled look. “You’ll meet them later… For now, let’s get out of here. What do you say?”

Ana nodded and Caspian closed the distance between them. Between the two of them, they were able to get her onto her back. Caspian looped one arm under her knees and the other he put across the small of her back. He gently lifted her but she still barely managed to stifle a cry of pain. He didn’t want her walking and she didn’t seem to be capable of it. She still had glassy eyes and her unawareness made him concerned. Turning, he made his way towards the doorway.

Once outside he had to put her down to retrieve his sword belt and confirm Teivel was dead since he hadn’t moved the entire time. Ana only stared at the man—if he could even be called that—in horror, clearly recognizing him. Then her eyes roamed to the dead man inside the room and her face showed no recognition of him. Obviously, she didn’t know who the other man was or how he came to be in that state.

Before Caspian could say anything on the matter, they heard hurried footsteps and Ana's eyes widen slightly. Though she didn’t move, her posture was rigid as if it took all her energy to not curl up again. Caspian moved to block her view—and therefore the other person’s view—as they came into sight.

“My men are freeing the last of the captives now,” Arthur told him. “I’ve told them to hold off on letting them go upstairs. We don’t know if we’ll have to fight our way out and I don’t want them getting hurt any more than they already have.”  
“That’s a good thought. Thank you,” Caspian said, moving to grab Ana.  
Arthur noticed her for the first time and he sent her a concerned glance. She only watched with unrecognizing eyes. “What’s wrong with her?” he asked, Caspian.  
“I’m not sure… She didn’t seem to even recognize me for a while. I’m hoping some fresh air will help.” Arthur nodded and Caspian gripped Ana’s left arm. “This is probably going to hurt,” he told her.

He clasped Ana’s arm tightly and began to pull her to her feet. In one swift move, he maneuvered her arms over his shoulder and adjusted her until she was laying over his shoulder. He cringed at the whimpers Ana made through the jarring movements. Even in this state, she was trying to hold back her pain. That or she couldn’t fully register it due to whatever they gave her.

With a nod to Arthur, he drew his sword. “Let’s get out of here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not sure if this will be the last update in a while or not. I was trying to get as many chapter posted as I could on my days off but things didn’t slow down until this week. Next week I have classes so it can get super hard for me to update much less write. If this is not the last update, they will most certainly stop by Saturday. Weekends are crazy for me...


	18. Of Magical Pits and Hazy Realisations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We find out a little more about what happened with Ana.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry. I thought I had posted this chapter weeks ago. Apparently not. So I’m posting it now and hopefully chapters 19 and 20 will follow shortly.
> 
> Please note: This and the next couple of chapters will deal with some “darker” scenes. Nothing happens on screen but somethings are heavily alluded to.

Ana felt as though she was dreaming. Everything was hazy. She remembered a man coming in to hurt her. He was the meanest of them all, getting off on her pain. But he grew angry whenever she was quiet, which would cause her more pain. She remembered a different man coming in, forcing something down her throat, and everything becoming hazy. Her vision was blurred and she felt as though she was underwater. _ Don’t worry, _ the man had said. _ You won’t feel a thing. You won’t even remember this. _ Those words were followed by a searing pain in her wrists that burned and then radiated through her entire body. As darkness overwhelmed her, Ana’s last conscious thought was “I thought it wasn’t supposed to hurt…”

When Ana was aware again, everything was like being underwater. The darkness was gone, but everything was still hazy. She could tell there was a presence nearby but was unable to tell who it was. All of her senses were clouded and she couldn’t focus. The person was talking and though she couldn’t make out what was said, there was something familiar about the voice. A hand was placed on her shoulder and Ana flinched, though she wasn’t sure why.

More talking and the person moved closer. She shook her head, wanting to tell them to stop but unable to actually form the words. One hand gently touched her arm while the other was placed on her hip, causing Ana to react. For no reason that she could recall, she panicked and found her body moving of its own accord. The movement caused some aches, but she barely noticed them, too concerned with what was happening around her. She tried scanning the room but it only resulted in a blurred figure and darkness. When the figure moved, she found herself rushing to stand, but too fast as the ground quickly rushed to greet her. The wind was knocked out of her and she might’ve even cried out at the pain it caused. That pain caused a moment of clarity and she looked up to see a worried Caspian.

“Caspian?” she asked, wondering if this was a dream.  
“It’s me, Ana,” he confirmed. Ana still didn’t know if she was imagining him or it was real. Her mind was so sluggish but this time she didn’t flinch when he approached. “Let me help you, okay? At least until we get somewhere safe. Then if you don’t want anyone to touch you, we’ll give you your space.”  
“We?” Ana was confused. _ Who had he come with? He had to have come with someone, right? Why couldn't she think of anyone? _  
“King Arthur and his men,” Caspian supplied, but Ana didn’t know who they were. “You’ll meet them later…” he assured her. “For now, let’s get out of here. What do you say?”

She remembered nodding and Caspian picking her up, which pulled at her ribs and she tried to hold back a cry. The movement was worse but there was nothing she could do. A few moments later she was being set down, to her confusion. She looked up to see Caspian checking an unconscious man and Ana’s eyes widened as she remembered his ‘sessions’. Her eyes roamed away and landed on another man who was definitely dead. She had no recollection of him and she felt her mind becoming hazy again. Whatever had given her the temporary reprieve from the foggy state was starting to fade.

Footsteps and talking, but Ana was too out of it to place any faces. In the back of her mind, she knew that one of the people was Caspian so when a figure approached her, she didn’t move. He spoke and again she felt herself being hoisted, but it was different this time. This position put more strain on her ribs and she tried to tell him. But all that escaped was a mere whimper. She hadn’t the energy to speak or to fight the haze.

Shouting, footsteps running, fighting maybe, flashes of color. Silence and then voices talking as she felt her position change. A hand on her forehead followed by that familiar voice. Ana wanted to reply, to speak, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t even seem to get her limbs to obey her commands. Darkness was creeping around the edges and Ana tried to fight it, but she realized it was more preferable to this haze. It was better to be completely unaware than stuck in semi-awareness. So she stopped fighting and let the darkness in. Right before she lost consciousness that familiar voice finally broke through and she heard him say “It’s alright Ana. It’s okay. You’re safe now, I promise.” Then she fell into blissful darkness.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

  
Merlin watched in frustration as the nobles entered the manor. He needed to go with Arthur! He was vulnerable and in a very dangerous place. Merlin did not feel comfortable letting him face alone whatever dangers lay ahead. Yet, it wasn’t like he could just walk in now, after Arthur specifically insisted he shouldn’t. He had disobeyed Arthur’s orders before, when necessary, but deep down he knew Arthur had a point this time. He was right to order Merlin to stay outside. Merlin’s presence in the manor would only undermine their little group’s authority in the eyes of the owner of this horrid place. Merlin could make himself much more useful by helping those poor souls stuck in the pits, like King Caspian said. He wouldn’t be able to use magic to save them if Arthur and the Knights were around. So staying outside was a good plan after all. 

He was still worried about Arthur and the others, but he knew there was nothing he could do. Sighing, Merlin decided to prepare some medical supplies. He doubted there would be time for much treatment right away, so he simply gathered a blanket, bandages, some food, and the fullest waterskin they had to give Ana some sustenance before they left. The bandages he had as a precaution in case anyone had an injury that needed immediate attention. He hoped no one would need them and again resisted the urge to follow after his friends. 

To distract himself, Merlin glanced at the pits. King Caspian had asked him to use his magic to free those trapped, but how was he supposed to do that without letting everyone know he had magic? And why was it that he had been in this country for a little over a week and already more people knew he had magic than back in Camelot?! He couldn’t tell if it was because these people were more observant, more aware, or if Arthur was a complete clotpole. He was sure that he had been careful about using magic. So when did King Caspian find out and how long had he known? Again, Merlin sighed in frustration at all the questions he had.

To take his mind off it he used his magic to quickly free the people from the pits. A muttered word of magic here, a wave of his hand there, and his eyes flashed golden as the poor souls finally got their freedom. Most took off without a word as soon as they were free, leaving just a few stragglers behind who seemed confused on what to do. Some looked ready to turn on him, but when they realized he was the only one there—the only one who could've set them free—they backed off. Merlin tried to comfort those he could, but most shied away from him and he was forced to let them suffer in silence. Shortly after, a clattering and what sounded like a mild scuffle drew Merlin’s attention back to the door. 

Leon appeared from the manor first, sword drawn, and Merlin rushed to the door, worried. Before he could ask what was wrong, Percival appeared followed by about a hundred haggard looking figures and Merlin‘s worry faded. These were obviously the ones who had been captured if the dead look in most of their eyes was any indication. He noticed that the last twenty or so held anger and hatred in their eyes instead of emptiness but there was brokenness to them as well. None of them were Ana and Merlin wasn’t sure what to think about that.

Gwaine followed the group out with Arthur right behind him. Merlin looked carefully, and after confirming that neither Arthur nor the Knights were injured, his eyes fell upon the last figure. King Caspian’s face was void of expression but his eyes betrayed his worry. In his right hand, he held his sword while carefully balancing the limp figure over his left shoulder. Merlin’s breath caught as he realized the figure was Ana and he had no idea whether she was alive.

“Help me with her,” King Caspian asked no one in particular.

Merlin rushed forward to take the weight, being the physician he was, but Arthur beat him to it. He carefully took Ana from Caspian and set her on the ground. As soon as she was set down, several men burst from the doors of the manor. Arthur shared a look with Caspian, assuring him they could handle these few men. A few of them were in various states of undress and went right for the captives. They screamed and tried to get away as the rest of the men charged Arthur and the Knights. The fight was short lived and many ended up running for the hills once they realized Teivel was no longer alive. Those that had went after the captives weren’t given the chance to run, each cut down where they stood. 

Caspian had sheathed his sword at Arthur’s nod and immediately kneeled next to Ana. Merlin hesitated on going forward, but when he realized how one-sided the fight was, he followed King Caspian’s actions.

“Ana,” the king said, voice almost pleading. “Wake up.” He lightly tapped her cheek to get a response. It took a moment before she opened her eyes, and Merlin saw they were glassy.  
“She’s been drugged,” Merlin concluded.  
“I figured as much,” Caspian agreed. “She was too unaware, and even when she finally recognized me, she didn’t seem to remember or understand anything else.”  
“She recognized you?”  
“For a moment… But now she doesn’t seem to be aware of anyone.”  
“That’s likely the point,” Merlin said, already scanning her for injuries. His eyes fell on her shoulder first. “We’ll need to reset that. And it’s gonna hurt a lot more than it should, given how long it’s been like that.” Caspian nodded. “She doesn’t have any other serious injuries that I can see, but we’ll have to watch for infection.” His eyes fell on her severely burned wrists and he looked at Caspian. “Are these from the cuffs?”  
“I don’t know… She wasn’t wearing them when we found her.”  
“I’ll tie her arm and then she be okay to ride for a bit. She’ll need further inspection but I’m not about to do it like this…” Merlin said, already going to fetch the needed supplies.

He didn’t want to even think about the injuries he couldn’t see. But there was only one reason Merlin could think of that they would drug someone to unawareness. He shuddered at the thought and figured he’d best leave that examination until she was fully aware. It felt like a violation of her privacy otherwise. When he returned to Ana’s side, he nodded to Caspian.

The king sighed and looked at Ana. “This is going to hurt. I’m sorry.”

With that, he placed one hand on her elbow and the other just below her shoulder. He carefully rolled it until the bones snapped into place. Though it had to hurt, Ana made no indication that she felt it. Her eyes did flick wildly around as if she had registered the pain but was unable to process it. Merlin frowned at the action, it only confirmed what he suspected to have happened. 

Seeing her panicked reaction, Caspian spoke. “It’s alright Ana. It’s okay. You’re safe now, I promise.” Then her eyes slid closed and neither Merlin nor Caspian bothered to wake her again.  
“She’ll sleep through the worst of it,” Merlin told the king and he nodded.  
“It’s too dark to travel far,” Caspian announced to the group. “We’ll make camp in the forest, away from this dreadful place.” The Knights nodded and Merlin gathered up his unneeded supplies, putting them into a saddlebag.

Caspian turned to speak to the rescues. “I’m King Caspian of Narnia. You’re all free to go. For those of you who wish to stay with us, you’ll be provided with medical treatment, food, and protection on the journey. Once we rejoin with the rest of my men, you can choose to be escorted back your home or return with us to Narnia. I don’t know how long some of you have been here, but I assure you the persecution of those with magic has stopped. You’ll be safe in my Kingdom. Whatever your decision, we will not force you to go with us if you do not want to.”

Without looking to see what they decided, Caspian turned back to Ana. He picked her up and walked towards his horse, Destier. Merlin grabbed the reins to hold the horse steady as the king carefully situated Ana on the horse. He smiled curtly at Merlin before taking the reins from him. Caspian turned back to see some of the Knights situating some of the weaker on horses as well. Then they slowly made their way to the woods. And if the manor found itself burning to the ground as they walked, well no one said a word. Too many people had been hurt in that place for anyone to care what happened to it.


	19. Ana’s Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ana finally wakes up but now she has to deal with the trauma of what has ocurred.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, I updated sooner. Chapter 20 will be along shortly.

Ana was curled up on a blanket by the fire, asleep. She hadn’t woken up since she passed out at the manor. Merlin kept an eye on her in concern, wondering how long it would be until the drug was out of her system. Unless he knew what the drug was, giving her any medication would be dangerous. He had bandaged her wrists and applied a salve to them that he hoped would help with the burns. When he went to examine the cuts on her feet, he was a little surprised that she didn’t flinch or jerk away. He simply thought it was because she was too out of it to know. Then Merlin had tried to help those they had rescued, but many still shrank away. Some of them had left as soon as they were free while others stayed with them, having nowhere else to go. They wouldn’t let him treat their injuries though, too afraid of being touched.

Food was prepared by one of the Knights, Merlin was sure but he was too busy to notice which. After eating, the Knights spread throughout the campsite, trying to offer food and comfort to the other captives. Some accepted, but like with Merlin most shied away. Arthur had taken to walking the perimeter of the camp or sitting by the fire. And King Caspian… Merlin looked to see him staring intently into the fire. Every once in a while his eyes would flick over to Ana but when he saw nothing had changed, he continued staring into the fire. He didn’t touch his food and whenever Merlin said anything about it he was completely ignored. Merlin gave up pressuring him after Arthur sent him a pointed look.

Merlin had just finished eating when he noticed Ana’s furrowed brow. He got up to see if she was waking, feverish or suffering from nightmares. The moment he touched her, however, she flinched violently, eyes flying open. She grabbed his wrist tightly and Merlin, being completely unprepared for the attack, was roughly thrown to the ground. He blinked in surprise, looking into Ana's murderous eyes, and made to push her off. Before he could, recognition flooded her eyes and she released him just as quickly as she had attacked, looking stricken. She stumbled back two steps before she fell, Caspian’s arms being the only thing stopping her from falling into the fire. The whole time she kept her eyes on Merlin and he noticed that she had attracted the attention of everyone around.

“Easy,” Caspian whispered, guiding her to the ground. “You’re alright.” She didn’t seem to notice, staring at Merlin with something akin to horror on her face.  
“S—sorry….” she managed to get out. She was shaking but whether it was from fear or the adrenaline, Merlin didn’t know.  
He tried to calm his racing heart and stood. “It’s alright,” Merlin told her, understanding the reaction.  
“Um… what was that?!” Gwaine shouted, sword drawn. His outburst caused Ana’s eyes to go wide and she looked at him as though she was about to be attacked.  
“Gwaine…” Merlin tried to warn, watching Ana’s movements carefully. Caspian stood up and moved in front of Ana as if shielding her.   
“That,” Caspian told Gwaine, pointing at Ana, “was traumatized person reacting to being startled. She didn’t mean anything , nor was she aware of what she was doing. She let him go as soon as she noticed who it was.”  
“She attacked Merlin!” Gwaine accused.  
“Gwaine…” came another warning, this time from Arthur. Merlin could tell he was also worried, but he seemed to be more understanding of Ana’s actions.  
“I wasn’t—“ Merlin began before Caspian cut him off.  
“She didn’t know it was him! Ana is a warrior, and like us, when she’s startled awake, especially after what she's been through, her first reaction is to fight. Can you honestly say you wouldn’t have done the same?” his voice was slightly accusatory while pleading with him to understand.  
“She killed that man!” Gwaine hissed and Merlin was concerned. It was a bit unlike him to be so angry. “It would’ve been easy for her to kill Merlin.” Merlin watched as the others’ eyes widen at the threat and he realized Gwaine was just being overprotective.  
“That wasn’t—“ Caspian began but was stopped by the quiet “What?” from Ana. Everyone looked at her.  
“I did what?” Ana asked again and there was fear in her eyes.

Caspian sighed and after sending a glare to Gwaine, turned towards Ana. “There was a man who would’ve been killed by any one of us… You just killed him first. Well, phoenix did...” He seemed hesitant to say it and Ana’s reaction told him why.  
“I killed a man...with magic...and I don’t remember? I don’t—I’ve never—“ she seemed at a loss for words, panicked even. “I wouldn’t do that.”  
“Two men actually,” muttered Arthur’s prattish voice. That only seemed to upset her more.  
“Ana…” Caspian said, taking a step towards her.  
“No!” she cried, trying to scramble back. She was frantic but unable to go very far with her right arm bound to her chest. “Never kill in defense, except during war. Injure, yes. Kill, no.” She said it like it was a mantra that she told herself and something dawned on Merlin.  
“You’ve never killed someone who has personally harmed you with your magic before, have you?” Merlin asked her. He hoped saying it would calm Gwaine and it seemed to.

Caspian took another step, to comfort her or help her, Merlin didn’t know, but Ana had the same reaction of trying to get away. He could see the panic and worry in her eyes, plain as day. She seemed to be afraid of something unrelated to the trauma but Merlin didn’t know what it was. Ana’s eyes flicked around the camp, looking at everyone before stopping on Caspian. 

“What if… I can’t… I don’t…” she was shaking, struggling to speak. Some of her breaths were coming up short as if she couldn’t get enough air and Merlin knew what was going to happen before it did.  
“Ana, you need to breathe,” he said, trying to avoid taking a step towards her. He knew It would only cause her to panic more. “You have to calm down.” He looked at King Caspian. “She’s going to pass out."

Caspian moved quickly, trying to catch her before she moved again. His movements only seemed to aggravate the situation and her breathing became quick and short. He grabbed her unbound hand, careful of the bandages. “Deep breaths, Ana. It’s okay. You’re fine,” he tried to soothe but it didn’t seem to work. “Look at me.”

Her breathing only became worse, unable to get enough air, as her eyes flicked wildly around the clearing. They never focused on anyone and Merlin began to wonder if she even registered the others presence. Caspian seemed to realize this as well, and brought her hand to his chest.

“Breathe with me,” he commanded, taking a few deep breaths. It took a moment but she finally managed one deep breath followed by another. “That’s it. Good. Everything’s fine. You’re alright.”

He kept murmuring assurances and it seemed to work. As he spoke, Ana’s eyes finally landed on him. She followed his commands and eventually her breaths slowed down. When it evened out, she sent Caspian a small smile before her gaze dropped to her hand on his chest. Merlin couldn’t see Caspian’s reaction, but he let her go and moved back a few steps. Merlin noticed Arthur and the others had turned away at some point, not wanting to pry. 

“Are you alright?” Merlin asked and she nodded.  
“I’ve just… never killed anyone and not been able to remember it. Not like that,” she explained, but her eyes told him the panic was because of something else.  
“Well you were under the influence of that drug,” Caspian suggested.  
“How was I even able to attack him? Those cuffs prevent phoenix from coming out and they wouldn’t have taken them off. Not after…”  
“You hurt them?” Caspian offered.  
“He said I injured three of his _ men _ ” she practically spat the word. “I only remember hitting one of them, but I suppose I could’ve hurt the others right before or after I passed out. The pain will do that…” she muttered the last part quietly, but Merlin was concerned.  
“You passed out?” he asked her and she nodded.  
“It felt like when it happened back at the camp… When I tried to use magic but it couldn’t get out.”  
“But it could,” Caspian said, and Ana looked at him in shock. “At least I think it could a little. Do you remember,” here he looked at Arthur and the Knights, “how she seized and her skin took on a reddish-orange tinge?”  
“Like ashes or embers…” Merlin recalled, glancing at the fire.  
“Exactly,” Caspian agreed.  
“That happened again,” one of the rescuees blurted, standing up. Merlin thought she looked a lot like Gwen and she had chafed wrists, indicating she too wore cuffs at some point. When everyone looked at her, she hesitated. “Um… y—you were angry, afraid, or at least your magic was. So when they tried to lock you up in that room…” the girl shivered, “you reacted. Screaming in pain before seizing, your skin doing that weird thing which caused them to drop you. They acted like they had been burned, but I was too far away to see if they actually had been. When you stopped thrashing, I thought— _ we _ thought—you were dead. They locked you up and he kept coming to visit. But we never heard anything so we didn’t know…”  
“That explains why it hurt in more than just my wrist every time,” Ana agreed, seeming a bit lost. “But it still doesn’t explain how I was able to kill them, how I was able to get free.”

No one seemed to have an answer for that and Ana seemed to grow more confused. Merlin shook his head, knowing he had more important things to deal with than figuring out how she escaped the cuffs. He slipped back into physician mood and changed the conversation back to her health.

“Well, that can be figured out later,” he told her, approaching. Her eyes watched him hesitantly, but she didn’t move away this time. “You haven’t stopped shaking… Are you cold?”  
“No,” she said, offering no other explanation for it and he looked at her critically. It could’ve been the result of her panic attack, but Merlin thought she was shaking for a different reason.  
“What hurts? I couldn’t give you anything for the pain because the drug seemed to be numbing you as well. Mixing anything with it would've been bad. I patched what I could see but…”  
“I’m fine,” she stated quickly—too quickly for it to have been the truth. “I have no life-threatening injuries.”  
“That’s not what I—“ he began.  
“May I have some water, please?” Ana asked, cutting him off again.

Feeling chastised for not thinking of that earlier, Merlin glanced around for the nearest waterskin. Before he could go get one, Caspian stepped forward and offered her one. She took it without a word and seemed to barely remember to take small sips. When she was done, the king offered her some stew—his stew, Merlin realized—but she declined. King Caspian whispered something to her, causing her brow to furrow, before walking away to speak with the others.

Ana looked at him expectantly as if waiting. Merlin blinked in confusion and looked around the camp. He noticed all the Knights moving to the perimeter of the camp, leaving them alone. The rescues were nearby but many had settled down to sleep for the night. Merlin looked at Ana again, who was still watching him, and realized they had been given privacy for a very awkward conversation.

Merlin cleared his throat and moved to sit next to Ana so anything they said would not be overheard. Her posture was stiff and rigid, but otherwise she made no indication that the close proximity bothered her. “So…” Merlin began, unsure of how to broach the topic.  
“Thank you,” Ana said instead. “For looking after him.”  
“I didn’t have to do much… He can handle himself pretty well and the Narnians found us.” She sent him a light smile that held no joy. “You didn’t tell him about me, did you?”  
She frowned. “I promised you I wouldn’t. Why? Has he said something?”  
“Earlier… he told me to use magic to aid the others.”  
“He must’ve seen you use it,” Ana shrugged.  
“Should I be concerned?”  
“Did he mention it aloud?” At the shake of his head, she continued. “Then you’ll be fine.”  
“We’re not meant to be talking about me…” Merlin pressed, wanting to help her.  
“True, but we’re not going to talk about me.”  
“Ana,” Merlin pleaded. “You need to talk about it.”  
“Nothing happened. What’s there to talk about?”  
“The drug… It’s possible you don’t remember.”  
Her eyes flashed anger for a brief moment. “If you’re talking about what I think you are,” she hissed, “then drugged or not, I would know.”  
“Right…” Merlin answered, unsure of what to do. This was a little out of his skill as a physician assistant. “Do you have any injuries you’re not telling us about? You said you have no ‘life-threatening injuries’ which would imply you have some others I’m not aware of.”  
“My ribs…” she reluctantly said. “They’ve gotten worse since the beating. I think a couple might be broken now…” Merlin nodded, and for the first time, he realized her stiffness might be more her trying to hide the pain than her being uncomfortable in his presence. “He…um...he beat me, kicked me. I’ve got bruises and welts—from the whips he used. He didn’t use the sharp ones on me, yet—but they’re minor. Painful, but I’ll live.”  
“Unless they get infected.”  
“I’ll be fine for a couple more days.”  
“I could… Treat them."  
“No.” Her answer was short and clipped causing Merlin to sigh again. “I’m so weak , ” she stated quietly.  
“You’re not weak.” He tried to comfort her.  
She sent him a small smile and this time it had a little life to it. "Thanks, but I meant I have no energy. I can barely move my arm.”  
“That’s to be expected,” he told her. “When was the last time you ate?”  
She bit her lip as she thought. “I don’t know… It’s possible they gave me food while under the influence of the drug. Everything’s hazy and I’m missing memories altogether, but I don’t remember when I ate before that.”  
Though the missing memories were concerning, he figured it was more drug-related than injury. “You should eat something. That’ll help.” He offered her the bowl again, but she refused.  
“I can’t…”  
He nodded, not wanting to pressure her. “Alright…” he said, making to stand. “I’ll find you something for the pain.”  
“Merlin…” she said. It was the first time she had used anyone’s name since she woke up. “I lied earlier.”  
He frowned. “About what?”  
“About being cold…”  
He slowly reached out to touch her forehead. “You feel normal… Sitting so close to the fire you should be a bit warmer though.”  
“I should be more than a bit.” He frowned and she elaborated. “I always run warm because of the phoenix, but I can’t feel it anymore. I’m cold because… I’m cold because it’s—it’s gone…”


	20. A Fire Without a Flame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They begin their journey home and Ana has to deal with life without her magic.

“What?” Merlin questioned, confused and shocked. “How can it be gone?”  
“I knew something was off as soon as I woke up but I couldn’t figure out what it was. Then Kaitlynn—the girl from before—confirmed that some of my magic was able to escape. Caspian said that I was the phoenix when he found me… I must’ve broke out of the cuffs, but that’s not possible. They’re meant to hold the strongest at bay and I’m not that strong. Something must’ve happened—but I can’t remember!—that ripped phoenix out. But it was too much…”  
“So you think it’s weakened?”  
She shook her head. “I would still be able to feel it. It’s completely gone.”  
“That’s not—“  
“Those cuffs would’ve killed me. The longer I wore them, the weaker I got because a part of me was dying. Phoenix was dying and when it was gone…” she trailed off not wanting to say it, but Merlin understood. “And they weren’t taken off me. They were forced off. I exerted more power than I had and now…”  
“Maybe it’s just buried.”  
“It’s not!” her voice was almost broken at the realization. “When they told me I killed two people and didn’t remember, I knew I had lost control and could potentially harm Caspian or—someone else. That’s why I panicked earlier.” Merlin pursued his lips, knowing that explained a lot of her reaction. “But when I calmed down, I realized I can’t feel it at all. I’ve been trying to this whole time and nothing will draw it out.” 

Merlin reached out with his magic. He tried to see if he could find a tiny spark within her. When he didn’t find anything he frowned, but quickly hid it so Ana wouldn’t ask. However, he realized that his magic wasn’t bubbling under the surface around her anymore. Even when she had the cuffs on, it was always there, waiting for his command. Now it was settled as if she was no longer a potential threat. Merlin had assumed that was because he truly knew her nature, but perhaps it wasn’t. Perhaps her magic was truly gone.

“It’s gone,” Ana said with a sharp inhale.  
“No. It’s—“  
“You can’t find a trace of it with your magic. It’s no longer there.”  
He was embarrassed when he realized he wasn’t as subtle as he thought. “Without the phoenix, what will happen to you?”  
“I don’t know… All I know is that I’m colder than I’ve ever felt and a part of me is gone.” Ana averted her gaze with a far away look in her eye. “There was a time I wished for it to be but now…” She turned back to him, “How can I protect my king—my friends—without it?”

Merlin was at a loss for words. She looked so lost and he had no idea how to help her. He had no words of comfort to give her. This was definitely uncharted territory for him. If his magic was gone, he imagined he would feel the same way.

Instead of saying anything, Merlin stood and went to his medical bag. He returned with two vials and showed them to her. She looked at him for a moment before taking them both. She set one on the ground and, holding the vial in her right, tried to open the cap using her good hand. Merlin bent down to open the other as she downed the contents of the first. He passed her the second and she also drank it without a word.

He adjusted the blanket that she had messed up before helping her lie down. As he stood to fetch another, Ana grabbed his wrist, gently this time. He looked at her and her eyes pleaded with him.

“You can’t tell Caspian, Merlin. Please. I kept your secret and now I’m asking you to keep mine,” she told him.  
Merlin sighed and nodded. “You have my word. I promise.” He patted her shoulder comfortingly. “Goodnight, Ana.”

Ana’s hand slipped from his wrist and she sent him a small smile. Then she closed her eyes and Merlin knew she’d be asleep within moments. He retrieved another blanket, draped it over Ana, before settling down on a log near the fire. He stared into the fire and didn’t notice the return of the others until Gwaine plopped down beside him.

“Merlin mate, you look terrible,” he said in his usual cheery voice.  
“It’s been a long day…” Merlin answered distractedly.  
“Aye, it has.”  
“We should all get some sleep,” Arthur declared.  
“We don’t need to head out early,” Caspian said. “It’s real late now. The Narnians know where we are and will not expect us back for another two days. Gives everyone time to rest.” Arthur nodded in agreement.  
“I’ll take first watch,” Leon volunteered.  
“No, please,” Caspian said. “Let me.” With a glance at Ana’s sleeping figure, Leon nodded.

The Knights dispersed close to the fire. Any remaining blankets or cloaks they had were given to the rescues so the men would have to do without. Merlin wasn’t sure who’s blanket he had taken to give to Ana, but no one said anything about it. He still hadn’t bothered to move from his spot and was pulled from his sleepy reverie when King Caspian spoke.

“How is she?” he asked.  
“She’s exhausted and in pain,” Merlin said simply. “I gave her a sleeping draught and something for the pain.”  
“And?”  
“She admitted that he beat her but denied that anything else had happened.”  
“Do you believe her?”  
“I don’t know. I couldn’t tell if she just didn’t want to admit anything to me, she was denying it even happened, or she was telling the truth.”  
Caspian sighed. “I figured as much though I hoped she would open up if she was alone.”  
“Well, like all of them,” here he gestured to the group of rescues, “she’s probably nervous around men.”  
“Hopefully Amari will get something out of her…” the king stated more to himself. “Thank you for your help Merlin.” Merlin nodded, too tired to do much else. “You should sleep… Lay down before you fall into the fire.”

It was such an Arthur thing to say that the corners of Merlin’s mouth turned upwards in a smile. He did as the king commanded, barely restraining himself from muttering ‘prat’. Judging by the small smile that graced the king’s lips, Merlin assumed he hadn’t succeeded though. He was asleep within seconds of his body hitting the ground.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

When he awoke, it was daylight. The sun was hidden by the trees, but it was enough for Merlin to know it was about mid-morning. He sat up in alarm, not used to sleeping so late. Glancing around the clearing, he noticed most of the Knights awake but Arthur himself was asleep. Though Arthur did like to sleep in, Merlin was surprised that he didn’t wake with the sunlight.

“Arthur took the second to last watch,” Percival offered, handing him a bowl. “King Caspian said to let everyone sleep as long as they needed.”  
“Ah…” Merlin said, taking the bowl from him. He glanced around. “Where is he?”  
“I don’t know… He left not long ago, but I doubt he went far.” Percival inclined his head at Ana’s still figure asleep by the now dead fire.  
“Has she woken at all?” Merlin asked.  
“Not as far as anyone saw.”  
“The sleeping draught should’ve run its course by now,” Merlin stated, concern etching his features.  
“Maybe it’s not the medicine…” Percival suggested, making to leave. “Make sure you eat something, Merlin.”

Then he returned to whatever he had been doing before, leaving Merlin alone with his thoughts and a bowl of cold porridge. He glanced at Ana wondering if he should check on her. Hesitant to do so, based on what had happened the night before, he quietly ate breakfast instead. He kept an eye on her though, the steady rise and fall of her chest indicating that she was alive at least. In the morning light, and without the fire casting shadows on her face, Merlin noticed that Ana seemed paler than usual. He wasn’t sure what the cause was.

Merlin finished eating and set the bowl aside. He watched as the Knights tried to coax the rescues to eat. A figure moved in the edges of his vision and he turned his head to see King Caspian returning. The king made eye contact with him and approached.  
“My lord,” Merlin said, scrambling to his feet. King Caspian waved his hand in dismissal.  
“There’s no need for formalities, Merlin.”  
“Last night,” Merlin began and the king sent him a curious look, “I wanted to apologize if I said something offensive.”  
He stared at Merlin, seeming to be confused before a small smile graced his face. “Oh that? Pay it no mind. I’ve gotten similar insults from Ana.”

Merlin looked to the ground, embarrassed that he had insulted the King of Narnia. Arthur and the Knights were the only ones he teased because, even though Arthur pushed him around a lot, they treated him as an equal. He usually had better manners around foreign nobles because not all would take it well. But then Merlin realized what the king had said and looked up.  
“Ana insults you?” he asked, incredulous. She didn’t seem the type.  
“Not often…” The king said, seeming to understand. “Only when I make decisions which are, to quote her ‘particularly idiotic,’ does she make her displeasure known. But she has to argue many of my decisions privately. The council looks down on her…”  
“Because of the magic?”  
“That… and because they all look at her and only see a child. They don’t see the years of experience she has; they refuse to.”  
“Must be tough,” Merlin said aloud.  
“Perhaps, but not as difficult as things are for you I would imagine.” Merlin blinked at him, knowing what he was referring to but trying to act like he didn’t. The king lowered his voice before speaking. “It’s as I assumed… Your King doesn’t know.”  
Merlin glanced at Arthur, still sleeping. “No… he can’t. It would put him in a difficult position and I don’t want to be the cause of that.”  
“He trusts you, so you’re unsure of what this particular situation would cause him to do.”  
Merlin nodded. “How did you know?”  
“Ana…” he said and Merlin was upset that she had told, after saying she wouldn’t twice. “Now don’t be like that. She didn’t say a word to me.”  
“But you said—“ Merlin protested.  
“Ana didn’t tell me anything. Her actions, along with yours, did. She’s probably exhausted now, having not had much sleep. That’s because whenever we were with the bandits, she was always awake when we awoke. Ana wouldn’t sleep if she thought I wasn’t safe. So when she allowed herself to be dragged away without fighting, I knew something was up. Then, just before she was dragged completely out of sight, I saw her send you a look. After that, I watched you. I saw how you made the guards trip, stopping them from taking me out of the cell.” **_  
_**“She asked me to look after you as if she knew she wouldn’t be able to stay,” Merlin explained. “She said she understood that Arthur was my priority, but wanted to make sure you were safe. I couldn’t deny her that…”  
The King nodded, seeming to want to say more but movement around the camp made them both aware of how long they had been talking in hushed voices. “If they ask, I was concerned about Ana,” he told Merlin, giving him a comforting pat on the shoulder.

Merlin nodded sharply and watched as the King approached Ana. He knelt down next to her and hesitantly held out a hand. Whether he was debating about waking her or was remembering the previous night, Merlin didn’t know. He rubbed his wrist at the reminder though, not surprised that a bruise had started to form. Her grip had been surprisingly tight.

Caspian placed a hand on Ana’s good shoulder. Like the previous night, she jumped up and tried to attack, but the king was able to grab her wrist and move out of the way. She stumbled forward, blinking in confusion before looking at Caspian. Seeing that she was back to her normal self, he released her wrist. She collapsed, as if his hand had been the only thing holding her up, her face contorting in pain. But she hid it so quickly Merlin thought he had imagined it. 

“Easy,” Caspian told her again. “I didn’t want to wake you, but you should try to eat something before we leave.” She nodded, seeming to understand.

Elyan must’ve procured a bowl of porridge as soon as she had been woken because after Caspian’s explanation, he had appeared at the king’s side. When he handed it off, Ana took it, though she made no move to eat it right away. She stared blankly at the remains of the fire, much to her King’s concern.

“Ana,” his voice was pleading. “Please?”

Whether it was the please or simply being hungry, Ana nodded. She took a small bite, chewed it a bit, before swallowing. This she repeated, but stopped after only five bites, seeming to be unable to handle any more. Satisfied that she had eaten something King Caspian nodded, handing her a waterskin. Once she took a few sips, he took it back and told her to hold onto the bowl in case she decided to eat more. The whole time, Ana never said a word, still staring at the fire.

King Caspian stood and when he turned, Merlin saw concern etched on his features. Ana’s actions were a bit concerning, but Merlin didn’t know what was the cause. The loss of her magic or the events that had happened could’ve put her in her gloomy stupor. So when the king looked at him for an explanation, Merlin could only shrug in response. This caused the king to sigh and he sent another look at Ana before walking to the horses.

While the king engaged in conversation with the knights, Arthur awoke and joined the others away from the fire. He had observed Ana for a brief moment before approaching his men. Ana was still in her trance and probably didn’t even notice that he was awake. Watching her carefully, Merlin retrieved his saddle bag. Digging through it, he found the last vial of pain medicine. He hesitated in giving it to Ana when they would likely be meeting Amari soon. But once he saw how stiff she was sitting, barely moving, he remembered her earlier slip. So he returned to her side and held the vial out to her. She didn’t look at him or move to reach for it.

“Something for the pain,” he said, bending down to set it down beside her. “Take it if the pain gets to be too much.” She made no indication that she had heard and Merlin grew concerned. “Ana? Are you alright?”

Her only response was to blink into space. So Merlin reached out a hesitant hand to lay it on her forehead. He wasn’t sure how she would react to such an action, so he moved slowly. She stiffened when he touched it and his frown deepened when he felt her brow. Her temperature had grown colder without the fire and he knew that wasn’t a good thing.

“You’re colder… That’s not good. If it keeps dropping, you could become hypothermic,” Merlin explained, hoping to get some response from her. When that failed, he sighed. “Perhaps we should tell King Caspian. He’s worried and could help. If you—“  
“No!” Ana hissed, finally breaking out of her stupor. “He can’t know. You promised.”  
“Well he knows something’s wrong. Your behavior isn’t normal and he’s going to ask about it. How am I to explain it?” He wasn’t really considering telling the king, but he needed to make sure she was alright.  
“Everything is so different without it,” she stated quietly. “I can’t focus unless I concentrate on only one thing.” Merlin hummed, not quite understanding. “I’ll do better,” she said. “I can fake. I’ll have to.”  
“Fake what?” Merlin asked.  
“Being fine… You’re right. If I keep acting like this, he’ll know something’s wrong.”  
“He already suspects,” Merlin pressed, not liking lying to the king when it could affect Ana’s health.  
She shrugged in response. “That’s easily explained away…” Merlin was about to ask what she meant, when King Caspian returned.  
“Are you ready?” the King asked, his brow furrowed in concern.  
“Ready?” Ana said confused. “Oh! Yes.”  
Though she seemed a bit out of it, the king relaxed a little, seeming glad she was actually responding. “Good. Let’s get you to the horses.”

He approached her and reached down to lift her up. This time Ana flinched and her facial expression showed that she had not meant for that to happen. The king froze, unsure what to do and Merlin gave him a small frown. Ana, embarrassed by her slip, looked at her king. His hands were clenching and unclenching at his side, wanting to help her but unable to.  
“Sorry,” she told her king.  
“You don’t have to apologize…” he told her. “Just tell me what I can do to help.”  
“I need you to stop,” she said, sending him a pointed gaze. It only caused the king to frown.  
“Stop?”  
“Stop treating me like I’m made of glass, like I’m going to break. Let me figure out for myself what exactly I am and am not capable of.”  
“I’m sorry. It’s just that earlier… You didn’t seem to be here. Your mind was elsewhere and I couldn’t help you,” he explained.  
“I was thinking… about what happened. What I’ve—we’ve—been through.”

King Caspian nodded, seeming to understand. He held out his arm and she sent him a small smile as she reached for it. Ana used it to pull herself to her feet and Merlin kept his hands hovering just at her waist to help if she needed. He didn’t touch her though and with no other help, she was able to stand on her own. With a nod from the king, Merlin bent down to retrieve the vial she had not taken and the still full bowl of food, before making his way to the horses. He noticed the knights started picking up the campsite.

A glance over his shoulder caught Ana making slow progress to the horses. Whenever she stumbled, the king gripped her arm tightly, but made no move to help her. He simply kept her from falling, to which she seemed grateful. By the time they made it to the horses, it was clear how much of a strain the trip was. She was shaking, but neither of them said anything about it, and there was sweat on her brow from the strain on her injuries that she was trying not to show. Merlin sent a pointed glance to her and then the vial in his hand but she just shook her head.

“You’re not walking the rest of the way,” the king said stubbornly, feeling her sag against him more.  
“I couldn’t even if I wanted to,” she agreed, though her voice gave away her disappointment. She was not pleased with how little strength she had.  
“It’ll take us a bit to get back,” King Caspian said. “But it’s better than trying to force people to walk further than they can.” He looked at the group of people they had rescued when he said this.

Ana nodded in understanding and King Caspian helped her onto his horse. Merlin saw her bite her lip to keep in a cry of pain, probably from stretching her ribs. The King’s face tightened for a brief moment, clearly seeing her reaction, but he hid it quickly once she was settled. Clearly, he didn’t wish to call her out on it.

Merlin found his saddle bag and quickly tucked the vial inside. Then he collected the dishes and tossed the uneaten food away before using one of the waterskins to quickly clean the bowls. He would clean them better once they stopped, but for now it would have to do. That finished, he packed them away and went to help the others to tear down the camp. The horses were loaded with both their supplies and the rescues unfit to walk. Then the group took off, heading away from the dreadful place and towards safety.


	21. Journey to Safety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The journey to rejoin the others isn’t as easy as they’d like.

“Stop,” Ana spoke suddenly, voice rough. “We have to stop. I can’t…” she trailed off, seeming to be in too much pain to continue. 

So, after only about an hour of walking, the group came to a halt. Though the royals wanted to keep moving, they didn’t want to push anyone any more than they were capable of. When the rescues had started to fall behind, the group slowed down. But ultimately it was Ana’s actions that caused them to stop only a little further down the road. 

Ana had been sitting stiff upon the horse since she got on. However, as they trailed on, she started to fall forward and was leaning completely onto the horse’s neck. Her bound arm held the reins tightly while her left was wrapped around her ribs. It was clear the ride was pulling at those injuries. Caspian had noticed this but was hesitant to stop due to Ana’s earlier words. So he pushed the group forward as much as possible until Ana herself had asked to stop. 

Hearing the pain in her voice told him all he needed to know. Ana always tried hard to hide her injuries so if he could tell something was wrong, he knew they needed to stop. It was obviously too painful for her to try and hide it anymore. Caspian wasn’t sure what that action exactly meant, but he knew it wasn’t a good sign. 

So they stopped as soon as they could. Arthur and his men helped get the others off the horses before rummaging through their supplies. It was clear they didn’t have enough food for all of them when they glanced at each other with a frown on their faces. Caspian didn’t pay them much mind though, too concerned with trying to get Ana off the horse. Since her right hand was bound to her chest and her left held tightly to her ribs, it became quite a challenge. 

Once she was settled by a tree, Caspian left her to tend to his horse. At least that’s what it looked like he was doing but he probably was just trying to give Ana some space. Merlin took that opportunity to approach, once again procuring a vial from his bag. He watched her carefully and realized she appeared a bit out of it. She was staring off into the distance and had a lost look in her eyes. 

“Ana?” he whispered, cautiously. It took a few more tries before she looked at him. “Are you sure you don’t want this?” He held the vial out to her, choosing not to ask if she was alright. He already knew the answer. 

Ana didn’t say anything, simply staring at the vial as if it took everything in her not to grab it. Merlin couldn’t figure out why she was resisting so much. He knew no one present would think less of her for wanting some relief. Surely she knew that as well. But then, why was she intent on suffering? She had to be in a terrible amount of pain in order to have begged—that was the tone she took on—to stop. 

“Why are you forcing yourself to suffer? No one here would judge for wanting something to relieve the pain,” Merlin questioned.  
“If I take it, how will I know when to stop?” she answered.  
“Stop?”  
“How will I know enough is enough if I can’t tell how much pain my body is actually in?”  
Merlin blinked. He hadn’t thought of that. “If you were to feel anything after taking the medicine, then you should probably stop.”  
“Not with that…” she said vaguely and it caused Merlin to frown. “Tell me… did Amari give you that medicine?”  
“Um… yes. She gave me specific instructions that you were only allowed to have certain ones. I separated them from the other vials so I wouldn’t forget,” Merlin explained. “Why?”  
“Because it’s the wrong dose,” Ana told him.  
“It can’t be. Amari gave me very specific instructions.”  
“Yes… because with phoenix I have to have very specific dosages. Any more, and I could end up unconscious for days on end or worse… dead. If I get less, phoenix will ‘eat it up’ and it will have no affect. Amari and I spent hours finding the sweet spot for a lot of her drafts. Without the phoenix—“  
“The dosage will change. And if you take this, it could knock you out or leave you oblivious to pain way past your breaking point,” Merlin finished for her. “Why didn’t you say this before?” Ana’s answer was to flick her eyes between Merlin and Caspian in a silent message. “If I dilute the dose, would you take it?”  
“And how would you explain diluting the dose to the others?”  
“The truth… That the dosage is too strong for someone in your state.” Ana frowned at that but simply nodded. The action told Merlin that her pain was overwhelming her fear of her King finding out. 

Merlin went to retrieve a waterskin and returned to Ana’s side. He wanted to prove that he would do exactly as he said and dumped some of the vial’s contents on the ground. Not a lot, just enough that he could add water to it without overfilling the vial. Merlin tried not to look suspicious but he glanced at the others to see if they were paying attention. When no one seemed to be, he added a little water to the vial, capped it, and shook it to mix it in. Then he looked at Ana to see if she was satisfied. She blinked and frowned, but reached to take it when Merlin pulled it back. 

“Best be safe,” he said and then repeated his previous actions of dumping a bit and refilling the vial with water. This time Ana seemed to approve and he handed it off. Just as she was about to drink it, Caspian approached.  
“Is something wrong with the medicine?” he asked with concern. While Ana did stiffen at the statement, her face was impassive.  
“I was just diluting it,” Merlin explained. “I ran out of the medicine specifically for Ana, but she needed some more for the pain. Since Ana can’t do it herself very well, she explained what I would need to do.” It was mostly the truth.  
“If it’s too strong it could push me past my breaking point,” Ana told him. “Or worse. So I had Merlin add some water to it.” 

The King seemed to believe it and backed off. Ana took that moment to quickly down the contents of the vial. Though the effect wasn’t immediate, it was clear that Ana was glad she would have some relief. The Knights divided up the food as best as they could and tried to dispense it amongst the others. None was kept for themselves, including Merlin, but Ana had refused her portion again. The King had frowned, but made no comment on the matter. He probably assumed it was the pain and knew it was no good to push her. Ana did offer her portion to whoever wanted it though. 

After the short break, they were on their way again. Ana made no protest as she was practically carried to the King’s horse. She couldn’t mount it anyway and had to be placed in the saddle by Caspian. Just as the group made to leave, they heard the sound of hooves approaching. Ana sat up a bit straighter in the saddle, needing to be alert. Since she couldn’t sense a threat, she’d had to physically keep an eye out for one. 

The others had drawn their swords at the sound, some moving to block the riders’ line of sight to the group of rescues. Caspian was one who moved to stand in front of Ana, much to her frustration. But they needn’t have worried. For as they grew closer, the party realized it was only one rider. There was enough skill amongst them that any threat could be dealt with. As the rider broke the treeline, Ana immediately relaxed and allowed a small smile to grace her lips. 

The man had short dark hair and emerald green eyes. But they held no sort of evil in them, only kindness. His clothes were a bit dirty and tattered, but he appeared uninjuried so Merlin assumed those rips were from trees. Merlin could tell he was a strong man, and knew that only Percival would be able to match him in strength. There was a dagger and a sword by his side but other than what appeared to be a bed roll, he had no other belongings. The man obviously travelled light and it was clear that both Ana and King Caspian recognized him, as the king lowered his sword. 

“Thaddeus,” the king greeted as the man pulled the reins and his horse came to a stop.  
“Sire,” he said, giving a brief nod as a bow. “I was told of your capture as soon as I returned to the castle. I rode out almost immediately afterwards, hoping to catch up in time to lend a hand. Unfortunately I did not catch up with Glenstorm until about a half hour ago. He informed me that you had gone in search of Ana and it appears I’m late for that too…” The man’s explanation was brief and hurried.  
“It’s alright, Thaddeus,” Caspian told him. “We could always do with another man. General Thaddeus, these are King Arthur and his men.” He pointed to each and said their names. “These are people we rescued when we found Ana… Some of them are not in the best state.”  
“I wasn’t told where they were…” the general trailed off, taking in the state of the people. “You can have my horse, if you need it.” He was already dismounting before the King could respond.  
“Thank you,” Caspian agreed, nodding his head at the captives.

Thaddeus nodded and slowly approached, pulling his horse behind him. There was a quiet discussion and then two girls who couldn’t have been more than ten, were placed on the horse. Then the group was off, finally heading back to camp. Throughout the whole exchange, Ana never said a word and barely passed him a glance since he first arrived. The General was confused by this, judging by the quizzical looks he kept sending. Caspian just silently shook his head, telling him not to say anything.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

After what seemed like hours, the group of stragglers finally reached the makeshift camp. Merlin noticed that the bandits from earlier were nowhere in sight, but neither was the centaur general. Relief flooded many faces at the sight of the camp but Merlin noticed how Ana stiffened and wondered why. He wasn’t able to question her on it, however, as shortly after Amari came running towards them. 

Her mannerisms were professional but her eyes held relief as she approached Ana. When she was off of the horse, Amari started to examine her on the spot, only for Ana to pull away. The physician frowned and the two had a conversation with merely looks, before she nodded and stepped away. She began to approach one of the people who was barely conscious on the horse. 

“Wait a minute…” Caspian began to say, but was cut off by a look from Ana.  
“It’s your rule,” Ana said.  
“Yes, but—“  
“¡Amari no puedo tratarme primero cuando está en peor forma! ¡No puedo se la excepción!” she exclaimed, shocking everyone into silence. Merlin frowned, wondering what excuse she had said.  
“Pero… ¿cuándo seras tratado?” the king replied. If the faces of those nearby was any indication, these two were the only ones who knew what was being said.  
“After her.” Ana nodded her head to the girl Amari was having carried to her infirmary.  
The King sighed. “You’re right… I’m sorry. We cannot play favorites now.” 

Ana sent him a small smile and nodded in return. Caspian gestured one of his men forward and Ana was escorted towards Amari’s tent. When she was out of earshot, Arthur approached him. He had a frown on his face and Merlin suspected he was going to ask what Ana had said. All he knew was that she was not speaking the language of magic but it was some other foreign language that her King seemed to also understand. 

“What was that about?” Arthur asked.  
“I made a law that stated that whoever was in worse shape would get treatment first, regardless of rank or status. I know in some Kingdoms, the physician is forced to stop caring for a peasant or servant if a noble falls ill. Often times, this can lead to their death. The only exception is during a time of war when our warriors are needed back on the battlefield as soon as possible. As this isn’t a time of war, Ana was just reminding me,” the King told Arthur.  
“What was she—you—speaking?” Arthur said with a condescending tone. 

The dark haired King furrowed his brow and crossed his arms. It was the only action he had done to show his disapproval the entire time Merlin had been with him. Clearly he didn’t like what Arthur was insinuating. 

“I’ve told you about her opinions not always being welcome in court?” King Caspian asked and at Arthur’s nod, he proceeded. “Well, Ana learned another language so that whenever she disagreed with something that was said, she could call me out on it. I don’t speak it as well as her, but she’ll use it to say something that might ‘humiliate’ or ‘embarrass’ me in the eyes of the court.” He smiled fondly as he remembered something. “Of course she’ll also use it to publicly insult me.” 

Merlin watched the corners of Arthur’s mouth turn up at that statement. He must’ve been remembering the times Merlin threw insults at him—at least that’s what Merlin liked to think. Perhaps, if he was lucky, he could convince Ana to teach him some new insults to try out on Arthur. It would be even better when he had no idea what Merlin was saying. He was hard pressed to hold in a laugh at the thought of calling Arthur a prat in a foreign tongue. The look on his face would be priceless. 

After about a half hour of Ana waiting outside the tent, Amari approached her. With help from another Telmarine, Ana was brought inside and only then did the king relax. The rest had settled on various makeshift seats shortly after arriving at the camp. The captives huddled together on the ground and one of the Narnians had made up a fire for them, so they didn’t have to move closer for warmth when the sun set. Some of the men had disappeared into the woods— for what Merlin assumed to be a hunt—while others started the fires so they could eat. In the meantime, they were all just stuck waiting. 

It was a good time for Merlin to really think. Everything was so different here. He could feel the magic in the air in Narnia. It was so free and full of life. It was nothing like he had ever felt before. Yet there was a darkness lingering to it, as if it had been tainted in the past and was trying to recover. Merlin didn’t know what it felt like to be free, to not have to hide. But he was sure it would feel something like the Narnian air. It made him more hopeful for a time for magic to be free, under Arthur’s rule. He was so close. His actions the past few days had proven that he was a great king and more open to magic. Things were looking up. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who don’t know, I had Ana speaking Spanish. The reason for another language was explained in the story. But the reason I chose Spanish as the foreign language was for three main reasons: 
> 
> 1\. The name “Ana” is of Spanish origin so that made sense.   
2\. Caspian’s accent in PC was based on Spanish accents (His name is also more of Spanish origin than anything else).   
3\. I actually speak a bit of Spanish and don’t have to use a translator all the time. I do use it to double check and make sure my grammar is right, but not like with Old English.


	22. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ana and the bandits get to confront each other on a slightly more even playing field.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m gonna try and do weekly updates on Saturdays. We’ll see how it goes. I don’t want to do weekdays because I’m having a hard enough time staying focused as is. I don’t need the distraction of remembering to update as well.

“Well?” Caspian asked when Amari approached him. 

“She has welts all over her back, some of which were on the verge of infection. Her whole body is littered with more bruises than I could count—all in various stages of healing. She’s got several bad cuts on her feet—she was obviously forced to walk, possibly run, barefoot for a while. Most of her ribs are bruised but three of them are cracked and will take months to heal. Not to mention her shoulder… It was out of socket so long that I’m afraid it won’t heal properly and she’ll never regain full use of her arm again,” Amari told him.   
“And that’s it?” he questioned, believing there had to be something more.   
“Considering where she was found, I would say she was one of the few lucky ones. You got to her in time, Sire.” She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.   
“There’s something else…” Caspian said after looking at the physician’s puzzled face.   
“Yes… but I’m not sure what it is. Something’s not right with her. Aside from the injuries I already mentioned, I cannot find anything physically wrong with her. Mentally… that’s another story. Who knows what she dealt with in that place? Those who do are unlikely to speak of it.” Amari glanced at the small group of people huddle around one of the fires. “Something happened to her in there… and she won’t talk to me about it.”    
“Nor me,” Caspian said. “I already tried.”    
Amari smiled sadly. “She just needs time. Time to recover.”    
“How much time?”    
“Depends on the person, but Ana’s strong. She’s a fighter.”    
“Then why won’t she eat?”    
“She’s not eating?”    
“Of the three meals we were able to scrounge up, she ate about five bites of porridge. We couldn’t get her to eat anything else. I hoped it was something to do with her injuries. But if it’s not that…”    
“You’re worried she’s lost her will to fight,” Amari surmised. “Let me see if I can get something in her.” 

With that, Amari left the king’s side in search of some stew that Ana could eat. She merely nodded to the King as she returned to the physician’s tent. She didn’t return for a while and Caspian started to think that she had been successful. But when Amari exited later, the look on her face told him she had not. She must’ve been trying really hard to convince Ana to eat. 

“I can’t get her to eat more than a few bites…” Amari told him. “She says she’s not hungry but by all accounts she should be.”    
“So there’s no explanation for it?” Caspian asked.    
“Not as far as I can tell,” Amari stated with a frown. “But perhaps it’s something I haven’t found yet… She could be sick.”    
“Ana? Sick?” The thought seemed ludicrous to him.    
“Well it’s not unheard of… People in those conditions could get sick from all kinds of things.” 

Caspian nodded and was about to say something else when they were interrupted by a rustling. He turned quickly, hand going to his sword, but found no threat. Instead it was just Ana and the sight of her had Amari rushing to her side. Caspian frowned, mostly because she was up and partly due to the fact that she hadn’t moved quietly. Ana moved so quietly you wouldn’t even notice she was gone if you weren’t watching, but he chalked that up to her being injured. 

“You should be resting,” Amari told Ana. But it only caused Ana to give her a look that clearly stated she would not.    
“I will rest…” Ana said. “Just not in the tent. It’s too…” She seemed to be searching for the right word. “… constricting.” 

It seemed to only be partially true, but then again Caspian was never good at telling when Ana was lying. But Amari believed it and led her by the fire, which brought a small smile to Ana’s face. It barely reached the corners of her mouth, but she smiled nonetheless. 

Once Ana was seated, Amari left, presumably to take care of the others. However, she returned a few moments later with a waterskin and a bowl of stew. Ana took both, but made no attempt to eat or drink. Caspian found himself at a loss for words. He didn’t know how to treat this Ana when the Ana he knew was always so jovial and full of light. Even when things got bad, she never showed it. She was a light in the darkness. 

In the dim light of the fire Caspain took that moment to actually look at her. He had been so concerned with getting her someplace safe and making sure she wouldn’t die that he hadn’t stopped to really observe her. He could make out various cuts and bruises on her face, obviously from being struck, and she looked haggard and worn. Her posture was stiff which was an indication of her bruised and cracked ribs. Though her wrists were wrapped, Caspian could make out what looked to be burns when she subconsciously rubbed the bandages. It appeared to be a nervous habit and she seemed very uneasy and on edge. 

He was about to speak, to say something—though he didn’t know what—when Ana suddenly raised her left arm from her lap. She looked at, as if just then realizing it was bandaged at the wrist. Then before Caspian could so much as react he saw her reach towards the fire. He jumped up in surprise, meaning to pull her hand back when she did it herself. Caspian blinked in confusion and panic, unsure how to take such an action. He wasn’t even sure she was aware of his presence. 

“I’ve always wondered what fire felt like,” Ana said suddenly, cutting through the silence that had fallen between them. “I mean the actual burn of fire. I’ve never been able to feel it before... Did I tell you I survived a fire when I was a child?” At this question, she looked at him which indicated she was at least aware of him in that moment.    
“No, you didn’t,” Caspian said, sitting back down. “You haven’t told me much about your past.” At least she was talking, which was much better than she had been.    
“There’s not much to tell,” Ana said with a shrug—well as best as she could—before glancing back into the fire. “They burned my home down when I was a child and I hid instead of running. By all means I should’ve died, but they told me that phoenix was protecting me.”    
“Why this story? Why now?” It was a legitimate question. When had Ana become so fascinated by fire?    
“Something to talk about, I guess,” was her only answer. 

That was a big red flag to Caspian because Ana could always find things to talk about. Whenever someone was feeling down, she always had the perfect story or the right thing to say to make them feel better. She knew how to brighten someone’s day. It wasn’t like she talked non-stop, but she always knew what to say in the moment. So having nothing to say besides something that was sad and frankly kind of scary was a bit disconcerting. 

However, before Caspian could question her on it, Glenstorm walked into the clearing. He obviously wasn’t expecting to see Ana and he immediately stopped, trying to back up. It was then that Caspian saw why. Glenstorm was bringing the bandits that had been moved for Ana’s arrival back to where they could easily be guarded. He wasn’t quick enough on moving back as the leader quickly found Ana. 

“Well, well, well,” the leader jeered from across the camp. He had drawn the attention of everyone present. “I see you’re still alive. Teivel obviously found some use for you.” 

The other bandits laughed and jeered as Glenstorm tried to force them back. Ana, to her credit, didn’t do much more than stiffen and even that was subtle. If Caspian hadn’t been right next to her, he wouldn’t have noticed it. But the action had him rising to his feet. 

“Get them back!” he ordered and more of his men went to help Glenstorm.    
“Oh, come on now,” Boyd jeered again. “Gotten all silent have we?”    
“All the fight’s out of her now,” Borris laughed. “Gotta have the King’s men do all the fighting.”    
“Be quiet!” Caspian shouted at them. 

Just as they were almost back into the outskirts of the camp, a shout cut through all the other voices. It made everyone pause and turn to the source. Caspian turned to find Ana standing on her feet, any indication of pain was absent from her face and posture.    
“If you want to fight me,” Ana said, taking a few steps towards the bandits, “then fight me. But this time we’ll do it on my terms, on an even playing field.”    
“Even playing field?” the leader said. “You call this even?” He held up his wrist, indicating the ropes around then.    
Ana shrugged. “It’s more even than when we met.” The leader looked ready to argue that point but was interrupted when she spoke again. “But if it makes you feel better, I can have them removed.”   
“Ana” Caspian hissed and when she looked at him, he drew closer so he could whisper. “What are you doing?”   
“Proving a point,” Ana responded.    
“You have nothing to prove to me or anyone here,” Caspian told her.    
“I have something to prove to them,” Ana whispered with an incline of her head towards the captives. “They need to know that people like those men only win if we let them.”    
Caspian sighed and nodded. He looked at Glenstorm and said: “Release him. But only him.” 

Glenstorm gave him a strange look but did as he was commanded. The other Narnians rushed forward to keep the remaining bandits back. Once he was released, Boyd rubbed his wrist and grinned. Glenstorm drew his sword and kept it pointed at the man’s chest, daring him to move. As he did this, Amari stepped forward to untie the sling around Ana’s right arm. 

“Get their weapons,” Caspian ordered one of his men and was not surprised when Thaddeus returned moments later with Ana’s quiver and armor. Another Telmarine brought the bandit his sword, but he did not give it to him until he received confirmation from the others.    
“I don’t need that,” Ana said, taking her bow and one single arrow from the quiver in Thaddeus’ hand. “I expect it to be a quick fight…”    
“He’ll kill you without it,” Thaddeus told her, offering her the armor.    
“Glad to know you have so little faith in me,” Ana frowned.    
“In your condition… This is not a fight you can win,” Thaddeus pleaded.    
“Exactly,” Ana said, causing both men to frown in confusion. 

Ana turned away from them and walked towards the leader. Her face was emotionless and her posture indicated nothing of the pain she must’ve been in. Glenstorm still kept his sword pointed across the man’s chest and only when Ana was close did he stop. It was at that time he nodded to the Telmarine who handed Boyd his sword. He quickly moved out of range, but Glenstorm did not move. 

“It’s not an even fight with your guard-dog nearby,” the leader growled.    
“You claim to be a fair man, but even without the General present this fight would not be fair,” Ana spoke loudly, her voice ringing throughout the clearing. “Look at me… I am not in peak condition, far from it, in fact. Everyone here knows that you’ll win this fight. But if you win, what does that prove?”    
“Excuse me?”    
“If you kill me now, like this, in what you claim to be a fair fight, it proves nothing. All it proves is that for all your talk and bravado the only one you killed is a girl half your size and a third of your weight. It proves weakness not strength,” Ana explained, weapons at her side. “If we fight and I somehow win, you’d be utterly humiliated and lose any respect your men ever had for you. Even if it ends in a draw, it proves that an injured party is a worthy adversary and it would still be an embarrassment to you. So you see, if we fight you lose no matter what and I win, even if I lose. What’s the point?”    
The leader was stunned for a moment, unsure how to respond. Then, slowly he nodded. “I suppose you’re right on that account, but you seem to have forgotten about something important… your magic. It gives you an advantage.”    
“An advantage?” Ana practically scoffed. “Phoenix is no help to me in a duel. But I can swear to never use it against you if it makes you  _ feel _ better.” She kept using ‘feel’ to make everyone realize what she was doing was for his benefit, his comfort, and not hers.    
The bandit blinked at her, shocked. “Alright, you’ve proven your point. I gain nothing from this little  _ spectacle _ ,” he hissed. “But mark my words, if I ever have the chance to fight you again, I will not hesitate to kill you.” Without another word, he moved back with the rest of his men and allowed himself to be restrained again.    
“What are you doing?!” Borris growled. “You’re backing away from fighting a little girl?!”    
“Borris,” the leader warned. “Our fight would prove nothing. And killing her? That’s not going to happen. Not with her guard dogs standing nearby.” He puffed out his chest and wrinkled his nose, as if the thought disgusted him.    
“You wanna fight?” Borris continued, ignoring what Boyd had told him. “Than I’ll fight you. Boyd may be a coward, but I am not! I’ll finally get to have some fun with you since you ruined it all that one night!”    
Ana said nothing, nor did she rise to his jibe. Instead she glanced over her shoulder at Caspian, asking a silent question. When he did not disagree, she looked to Glenstorm and nodded. “If he wants to fight. Then let him.”    
Glenstorm nodded and moved to untie the other bandit. He rubbed his wrist gleefully, much like Boyd had done, before turning to growl at the soldier holding the sword. “Give me that!” He jerked it with such a force from the man’s hands, it was a wonder the Telmarine was not cut. “First,” he said pointing the blade at Ana, “you must swear not to use any of that disgusting magic of yours.”    
Ana raised her left hand innocently. “I swear, in Aslan’s name, that I will not use my magic against you in anyway,” she said, a little disappointed that she now had to fight. She knew the outcome was not in her favor, especially with her senses dampened due to phoenix’s absence.    
“Enough talk,” the bandit growled. 

_ Aslan give me strength _ , she thought as the bandit charged at her. She dodged his first swing and quickly maneuvered out of the way. Having no sword meant she could not parry a blow and she would have to move quickly to avoid getting hit. Ana knew she only had one good shot so she decided to spend most of her time being defensive, rather than attacking. If the opportunity came she could strike. 

Another swing from Borris and another dodge from Ana. The fight went on like this for quite awhile. Ana never stayed in range long enough for him to land a blow and the bandit’s swings grew more wild as he grew more angry. One of his swings, she barely dodged and the man grinned wickedly as he charged again. When he went for another, he suddenly tripped and Ana moved out of range of his sword. 

Ana sent a small frown in Merlin’s direction, but tried not to make it obvious and focused back on the fight. Deciding to stop being defensive, she made to strike. As the bandit regained his footing, Ana stepped closer. She was fair and wouldn’t attack until he was ready. Then as he charged at her again, she gripped her bow tightly and used the ivory tip to whack him on the head. The bandit stumbled back, unprepared for such a strike and provided Ana with the opportunity to hit him again. This time, the blow caused him to collapse to the ground, blood streaming down his face. He dropped his sword and Ana kicked it aside. Knocking her arrow, she aimed at the man’s chest. 

“Do you yield?” she asked.    
“You cheated!” the man snarled.    
“Cheated?” Ana repeated. “You have a sword. I have a bow and  _ one  _ arrow. The only way for me to use these is if I stayed far out of range of you hitting me and then that would be unfair. So I did what I’d do in any fight if someone got too close. Of course, under normal circumstances it only takes one hit…” She paused for a moment, but then continued. “Besides, you were the one that chose to fight.”    
“You’re weak… A coward,” the bandit shouted. He wanted everyone to hear him. “You won’t kill me.”    
He made to stand but Ana only pulled back the bowstring, preparing to shoot. “Do you yield?” she asked again.    
“Tell me… Did Teivel find some use for you?” the man stated, goading her. “Or were you just another pet? Nothing special?” Ana refused to answer, knowing she didn’t need to say anything to this man. “I would’ve come back, just to see you.”    
Ana noticed some of the Narnians stiffen and many reached for their swords. That’s when she decided to speak. “I should kill you,” she said, face stern and full of disgust. “For everything you did to me and for everything you’ve done to others... you deserve it. You’re a poor excuse of a man as there could ever be. You’re a despicable human being. You prey on the weak and innocent. That’s not strength, but weakness. For what you put me through and for how my friends suffered because of you, I should kill you. A coward who attacks the innocents does not deserve to live.” She withdrew her bow, face going blank. “But I won’t because I’m not like you. Killing you here, now, that would just be murder. And it would make me no better than you.” 

Without another word, Ana slowly backed away. She knew better than to turn her back on her enemy, especially when the rage was so evident in the man’s eyes. As Ana moved away, Borris let out something akin to a snarl and charged at her. His abrupt movement caught the attention of everyone nearby and two Telmarines moved in to intervene, barely managing to get ahold of the bandit. He fought back as they tried to restrain him and even managed to get some of the other bandits involved. 

While Glenstorm and Anviel fought to keep the others back, Ana—who had been left frozen at the sudden fight—saw Borris grab one of the Telmarines’ daggers at their waist. He couldn’t fight them off by strength alone so he was going to result in harming them. Knowing shouting out a warning would be of little help, she knocked her arrow and fired without hesitation. It was a risky move because she was likely to hit one of the Telmarines as well. 

But Ana’s aim was true and the bandit suddenly sagged against the Telmarines, dagger falling from his hand. The two Telmarines jumped back in shock, causing Borris to collapse to the crowd, the arrow protruding from his chest now obvious. Everyone involved froze. Halwende looked from the dagger that lay beside Borris’ still body to his waist before looking at Ana in shock. The bandits did the same and Ana slowly lowered her bow. 

“I never miss my target,” she said to assure the Telmarines. “If I didn’t think I’d make it, I wouldn’t have shot him.”    
“You saved my life…” Halwende said, eyes once again falling on the dagger.    
“It was a cheap move,” Ana shrugged. “Even for him.” She offered no other explanation and stood rigid as the rest of the bandits were moved out of sight, as if on guard. 

When they were all out of sight and Borris’ body removed, Ana visibly sagged. All her energy left her at once and she suddenly found herself unable to stand, collapsing to the ground. There were several hurried footsteps and soon both Caspian and Thaddeus were at her side. 

“Easy,” Caspian ordered when she tried to sit up. “You’ve done enough.”    
“Amari!” Thaddeus shouted to someone behind Ana.    
“I’m going to need stitches…” Ana muttered, eyes feeling heavy.    
“You’re fine,” Caspian frowned, unsure what she meant. 

But Ana shook her head and raised her right arm as much as she dared. It was then that Caspian saw it, fresh blood streaming down her arm, though it didn’t look deep enough to warrant stitches. Before Caspian could ask how she got that, knowing the bandit hadn’t touched her, Ana’s eyes fell closed. She had passed out again, the strain being too much. 

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~ **

Throughout the fight, Arthur and the Knights had stood in shock. They were surprised at how well Ana could handle herself, for several reasons. The main reasons being the fact that she was injured and also a girl. But she knew enough about sword fighting to never stay in range long enough for your opponent to land a blow. Honestly, Arthur was even impressed with her footwork as she moved with great speed and balance. 

Though it didn’t appear Ana needed any help, Merlin thought the bandit was being a little unfair. So after Ana narrowly missed the bandit’s latest blow he had caused him to subtlety trip. Unfortunately Ana seemed to know that wasn’t clumsiness on the bandit’s part, judging by the way she passed him a quick glance. But she did take advantage of it and somehow turned the duel in her favor. 

They had stood silent, and in shock, as Ana knocked her opponent on the ground and then pinned him there with an arrow to his chest. Merlin watched the others faces and saw that they were very surprised, yet pleased with Ana’s choice to spare the bandit’s life. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, yet she did so. 

However, though Ana had tried to de-escalate the fight, the bandit tried to attack her again. The resulting actions had happened so fast that hardly anyone had a chance to move. By the time Telmarines and Narnians alike rushed forward to help, the source of the problem collapsed dead. It took everyone a moment to figure out how he had died. Merlin was shocked that not only had Ana hit her target in the midst of three fighting men, but she managed to avoid hitting or injuring the two Telmarines as well. Even Arthur seemed impressed by such an action, if his barely concealed look of surprise was any indication. 

It was clear how much energy the fight took from her when she sagged as soon as the threat was out of sight. Before anyone had a chance to help her, she collapsed in a heap on the ground. Merlin could only watch as the King and the General rushed to her side. The General called for Amari, who had backed away as soon as the fight started to break out. There was a brief exchange of words between Ana and her King and by the time Amari reached them, Merlin could tell she was no longer awake. He wondered how much of Ana’s weakness came from the simple loss of magic. 

He hated keeping secrets when they pertained to someone’s health, but he had made a promise. She hadn’t told anyone his secret, so Merlin wouldn’t tell hers. He would try to convince her to tell them herself—if he ever had a chance to speak with her again—but he doubted it would do much good. There was no way he could tell them either, not without Arthur and the Knights wondering why she confided in him to begin with. 

Merlin sighed and found a seat near one of the fires. Now that the bandits had been dealt with, and Ana moved safely back into the physician’s tent, the rest of the camp had settled. Merlin risked a glance at the captives and noticed that while they hadn’t moved, they seemed to be more relaxed. A few were even talking to each other, something they hadn’t done before. 

“Is she alright?” Merlin heard someone asked and suddenly found himself eavesdropping on Arthur’s conversation with King Caspian.    
“She’s physically weak… That fight took a lot out of her,” King Caspian answered. “But I had to let her do it.”    
Arthur nodded. “How good is her aim, really?”    
“Ana is the best archer in the Kingdom and possibly others. She’s never missed her target, unless purposefully doing so. I’ve seen her shoot blind and still hit the target center mass after rearranging the targets. She puts all of us to shame.”    
“So that was an easy shot for her?” 

“I suppose. Why do you ask?”   
“Because it’s risky. She could’ve killed either of your men or missed completely and killed one of the other bandits. It’s not a shot any one in their right mind would take.”    
“Ana would, if she knew she could do it. She would never put another person at risk.” Arthur nodded, seeming to understand and Caspian continued. “She looks like a child so a lot of people don’t respect what she can do, but Ana  _ is  _ one of our best warriors.”    
“It must be tough,” Arthur said, causing the foreign King to frown a bit. “Seeing her so weak, I mean. She seems thicked skinned enough to not really care about the other stuff. But it must be hard for you, your men, and even her to seem so weak.”    
King Caspian slowly nodded. “I tried to persuade her not to fight. She had nothing to prove to us, but she told me it wasn’t for us. It was for them,” here he nodded at the captives. “So I had to let her… I just hope doing so doesn’t set back her recovery.” 

Arthur clasped him on the shoulder and then left the King alone. As he walked back towards him, Merlin tried to pretend like he wasn’t listening. It was nice to see Arthur caring about someone he didn’t know so well, but he knew better than to say anything to Arthur about it. He would deny it no matter what, but Merlin knew he cared. Part of him hoped that Arthur saw him as a friend and if anything happened to him, Arthur would feel a little distraught like King Caspian. But maybe that was too much to ask for. 

When Arthur reached them, the Knights moved closer. “Get some sleep,” he told them. “We head for Camelot in the morning and I want everyone well rested. I’m sure King Caspian will not need any of us to keep watch so you should all get a full night’s rest.”    
“Sire,” Leon said, bowing low before doing as instructed. The other Knights bowed as well and went to find places to sleep around the fire.    
“That goes for you too, Merlin,” Arthur stated, arms crossed. “I expect you up early in the morning. No more of this lazying about.” Though his face was serious, his eyes held laughter and Merlin couldn’t help but smile.    
“Seems to me like I’m the least lazy one here,” Merlin retorted with a grin. “What with tending to the horses, packing up the previous campsite, treating the wounded… I’d say I’ve earned a chance to rest.”    
“What have you been doing for the past few hours?” Arthur asked, eyebrow raised.    
“I’ve been...uh…” Merlin stuttered, trying to think of what useful things he had done.    
“That’s what I thought,” Arthur said instead when he realized Merlin didn’t have an excuse. “Dollophead.”    
“That’s my word!” Merlin cried.    
“And it suits you perfectly,” Arthur grinned.    
“Prat!”    
“Idiot!”    
”Bone-idle toad!”    
“Total buffoon!”   
“Clotpole!” 

They kept throwing insults at each other until practically all the camp was laughing. Feeling quite satisfied, Arthur nodded his head to Merlin and he took that as his sign to actually comply with his order. So he settled down by the fire and was not surprised to find himself asleep within moments. As he slept, he had nightmares of fire and darkness. Cries of pain and suffering pierced through the darkness. There was a familiar voice, asking for his help, but Merlin couldn’t place it. All he knew was that it wasn’t Arthur’s. 

A familiar, evil laugh, cut off the person’s cry for help. The silence that followed was eerie and terrifying, but he preferred it to the tortured scream that broke it. It was clear the person was now being tortured and Merlin couldn’t do anything to help them. His shouts went unheard and the person’s screams only grew louder and more horrifying until they suddenly cut off and Merlin knew that poor soul could no longer scream. Only then did the torture stop. Footsteps echoed away from the room, and once again the terrifying silence descended. It was only then that Merlin realized who the tortured soul was. 

Merlin woke with a start, breathing heavy. He glanced up at the sky and registered that he had been asleep for a couple hours when it had only felt like minutes. It was nearing dawn and Merlin glanced around the camp, too concerned with his nightmare to even try to go back to sleep. Both Arthur and King Caspian were asleep, along with the Knights, but those on guard duty were on high alert. Merlin also noticed most of the Narnians were awake. 

A slight rustle in the foliage had those awake reaching for their swords. General Thaddeus gave a silent signal for the rest of the camp to be woken up. The captives and the injured were left undisturbed, but the rest of the warriors were on their feet within minutes. 

“What is it?” King Caspian asked his men.    
“Dark magic, Sire,” one of the Narnians replied. “When we sensed it, Reepicheep and his men offered to investigate. They have not returned.” 

Before anyone could ask anymore questions there was a large gust of wind. In the next second several men found themselves lifted off their feet and tossed back by an unforeseen force. This action was followed by another one, stronger than before and even more were thrown off balance. Something—or someone—was targeting them and Merlin had a good idea who. 


	23. The Enemy Attacks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They face one more threat.

The second attack had the Narnians scanning the area for the source. Merlin felt his magic rise up and knew the threat was close. He also glanced around, trying to find it, but was unable to. They were staying hidden, for good reason. If it was who Merlin thought it was then she didn’t stand a chance against a whole army. Not by herself anyways...

There was another rustle of the foliage and several of the men turned towards the source. One of them stepped forward to investigate. Everyone was on edge, waiting for the threat to show itself. Nothing became of if, however, and Merlin assumed the rustling was just the wind. That or someone was playing games with them. 

A third strong wind blew through, this time targeted at Arthur and his men. Like with the others, they were blown off balance and very violently thrown to the ground. They regained their footing rather quickly but Merlin could tell that it had hurt some of them by how stiff they were moving. Merlin was surprised he wasn’t affected. The wind was targeting people, but almost in a random way like it didn’t care who it hit with each wave. But Merlin—and all the others—knew that this wind wasn’t normal. It was being controlled. 

Just then, several mice appeared from the grass. Each had small swords in their sword belt at their side. The strap for it went from their shoulder to opposite waist. The leader had a golden ring with a red feather on his right ear. The mouse ran on all four paws to King Caspian and stood up on his hind legs when he reached him. Removing his feather, he bowed low. 

“Sire… we found the source,” the mouse said. 

“What is it Reepicheep?” 

“A powerful witch. She’s on the edge of the camp but has not moved further.” 

“She’s still attacking us…” 

“Yes,” Reepicheep nodded. “We were able to get close enough to see her eyes flash golden every few moments. I would’ve engaged her, but I did not think it wise.” 

“You did well,” King Caspian said. The mouse bowed again. “Keep an eye on Ana for me?” 

“Of course,” Reepicheep said with what looked like a smile. He scampered towards the tent, stopping as he passed Arthur. Again he bowed low. “Your Majesty,” he said before going into tent. 

Merlin carefully watched the others for their reactions, knowing he himself was surprised at this latest development. Elyan and Leon had looks of surprise while Percival had a look of barely concealed laughter. Gwaine—as obnoxious as ever with little care how he looked—stood with his mouth agape, the shock evident all across his face. But there was some humor in his eyes as if he thought this might be a joke. And Arthur… well he went from surprised and shocked to confused, angry, and then indecisive before finally landing on impassive in a matter of seconds. Had Merlin not been watching for it he would’ve missed them. 

“Don’t mind Reepicheep,” King Caspian said. “He’s good with a sword, but he rarely ever shuts up. While he does have some wise moments, take everything else he says with a grain of salt.” He smiled, lightly. 

“I heard that!” The mouse piped up and Merlin turned to see him poking his head out of the tent. Some of the Narnians chuckled. 

“I’m just surprised you have talking mice that wield swords!” Gwaine said. 

“Sometimes you need every sword you get, but I have no doubt Reepicheep only came because of Ana,” the King explained, sending a glance to the tent. “But they are useful for getting into small places… Or spying on people.” 

“It’s Morgana,” Arthur said, getting Caspian’s hint. 

“I suspect so. We don’t have many witches in Narnia… Not ones so bold to attack us anyways.” 

“We outnumber her,” General Thaddeus said. “We can take her!” His men nodded in agreement with his statement. 

King Caspian looked at Arthur. “You know her best… Can we take her?” 

Arthur frowned. “That is not the Morgana I know. She’s gotten more powerful over the years. I know that if we engage in a fight, she’ll take as many of your men with her as she can. And she may be one person, but I’d almost guarantee she’s not alone. She’d never be so foolish as to attack otherwise.” 

“But she hasn’t attacked,” Leon pointed out. “Not with the force she normally could.” 

“So she’s waiting on something?” King Caspian asked. “Waiting on what?” 

Before anyone could answer, another wave blew through the camp. This one contained two strong winds, one right after the other. The captives awoke in terror as the physician’s tent rattled violently. It stayed up though. Most of the men found themselves face to face with the ground or thrown on their backs. The Narnians remained standing throughout all the attacks. Merlin watched as the rescued group bunched together, their eyes frantically searching the camp for the source of the wind. 

“Thaddeus!” King Caspian called. “Select as many men as you dare and have them escort them away from the fight. I don’t want any innocents killed. They’ve suffered enough.” 

“Sire,” Thaddeus answered and did as instructed. 

Merlin noted that Enoch and Halwende were among the five selected Telmarines. This meant he didn’t know any of the remaining Telmarines besides the King and Thaddeus. A pair of dogs and some other Narnians were also selected, but Merlin didn’t know all the creatures’ names or even what they were. He did notice that the mice remained, but believed that was likely because some people were afraid of mice. 

“No one enters or leaves that tent,” the King instructed again. This time it was to no one in particular, a general statement for all. “I don’t care what you have to do, Ana is not getting involved. Make sure Glenstorm is informed of the situation. Tell him he can bring the bandits back into camp if he needs to.” 

Another centaur went to inform the Narnian General while the rest of the mice and a few Narnians moved to the tent. Most of the Narnians remained outside, surrounding the tent on all sides. Only a dwarf and a goat-like creature entered the tent, but they exited a moment later and stood guard at the tent entrance. They had probably informed Amari of what was happening so she would be prepared. 

“The rest of us…” King Caspian said, “prepare for battle. I don’t know what her plan is or who’s helping her. I don’t even know if it is her for sure or some other foe. But I do know that each one of you is a strong warrior and no matter the outcome you will have proven that. Have no fear, do not give in to it. Remember who is on our side. Have courage: we are all between the paws of the lion. Our fate lies in His hands. For Narnia and for Aslan we fight.” 

It was a good speech and Merlin felt rejuvenated just listening to it. Although he didn’t understand all of the last bit of it, the Narnians did. They did not cheer, however, as most would after an uplifting speech. Merlin assumed that this was because they were still trying to keep the element of surprise. They didn’t want Morgana to know they were planning an attack. 

Three more winds blew through and nearly everyone found themselves pinned to the ground until they passed. They were getting stronger each time, more violent, but still she had yet to attack. Most of the Narnians were able to still remain standing, even when the men were pinned. It was then that Merlin realized it would take a lot more force to knock them off their feet—hooves, paws, or whatever—in comparison to their two-legged counterparts. Unless Morgana specifically tossed them—which she had not—Merlin suspected they would remain standing. 

Glenstorm had just managed to drag, literally drag as the wind kept knocking them off their feet, the bandits into the clearing when it happened. A voice, chanting a spell, drew closer to the campsite. The closer it got, the darker and louder her voice got, and Merlin realized she was pressing closer. As she shouted the final words, Morgana finally appeared at the edge of the camp. Swords were drawn and everyone was ready to fight when her eyes flashed gold and the ground shook. 

Everyone struggled to stay on their feet, but it was difficult to do on shaky ground. She raised her hand and with a flash of her golden eyes, Merlin found himself flying through the air. He landed near a tree, by the rest of the Knights, and realized Morgana hadn’t just thrown him. He quickly sought out Arthur as the Knights clambered to their feet and wasn’t surprised that he seemed unfazed by the attack. The knights went to attack but Morgana shouted a spell. 

“_ Timbrung spannan ðæge pro _!” and her eyes flashed gold again. 

Merlin felt something pull at his feet, and looked down to see tree roots grasping them. He was only allowed to struggle for a moment before the roots—and possibly branches—had him pinned to the tree, hands at his side. Turning his head allowed him to see the other Knights in the same situation. Though they still had their swords, their arms were so tightly bound they could not wield them to free themselves. 

“_ Forp fleoge _ !” Morgana shouted every time the Narnians charged, and each time they were thrown back. She threw them back as far as she could and whenever one was close to a tree, she shouted the same command. Many soon found themselves in the same position as Arthur and the others.  
“Stop!” Merlin heard King Caspian shout, when the others tried to charge again. They stopped mid-step and everyone turned to him. “What do you want, Morgana?”  
“A few things,” she sneered. “For Camelot to accept me as the rightful Queen, the loyalty of the Knights, Arthur dead… And to talk with Phoenix.” She smiled mischievously and Merlin knew whatever ‘talk’ she wanted wasn’t good.  
“You can leave her out of it,” Caspian said, raising his sword ever so slightly.  
“Now, now,” Morgana mocked. “So protective… Where is she?” She cast her eyes around as if expecting Ana to be lurking in the shadows.  
“I told you once you let her go, you’d never see her again.”  
“That may be so… But I knew you’d find her,” she said, passing the bandits a glance. “You found her captors, which means you found her.” When Caspian didn’t answer, Morgana smiled. “That’s alright… I know how to draw her out. Just like Emrys, she has one weakness. _ Abrecap benda! _” 

At her shout, Merlin’s eye immediately sought out the bandits. He knew that was a releasing spell and knew she wasn’t using it to free Arthur. To his disappointment, he saw the ropes holding the bandits unwind and fall to the ground. Each of the bandits grinned darkly. The Narnians nearby saw and cried out a warning to Caspian, who watched warily as the leader approached Morgana. 

“How may we help you?” he asked. Merlin didn’t miss the fear in his voice, knowing she was perfectly capable of striking him down.  
“You leave the Kings to me, but anyone else you may have,” Morgana smiled. “Including the girl, when I’m done with her, of course.” 

The leader smiled and nodded to his men. Each retrieved a sword that had been dropped and charged at the unrestrained soldiers. Prepared for such an action, a fight broke out between the two groups. Needing to help, knowing Morgana planned to have the fight rigged, Merlin focused on Caspian’s men that were restrained. He couldn’t lie his way out of their own bonds being broken, especially after all the knights had tried. But he could possibly convince them that the others weren’t as secure. 

“_ Min strangest might hate pe tospringan! _” Merlin whispered, careful of his close proximity to the other knights. 

Almost immediately the others were released and joined the fray. Merlin realized that General Thaddeus and King Caspian who had previously stood away from the fight, were fighting alongside their men. Some tried to attack Morgana but they quickly realized it was a futile effort. Morgana used her magic to throw objects at the Narnians or to just throw them in general. The bandits were outnumbered, but with Morgana on their side, it was hard to make any headway. 

Arthur and the rest of the Knights struggled against their bonds again, not wanting the Narnians to face this fight alone. Merlin took this opportunity to whisper the spell again, hoping they’d believe they’d finally broke through. No one seemed to question it when they were released, though, and immediately they joined King Caspian’s men. Merlin stayed to the sidelines, knowing he could better protect both Kings if he wasn’t in the middle of the fight. 

Though Arthur was his priority, he planned to still protect King Caspian. He knew that if Ana was present she would do the same and he felt like she deserved that much. It was one less problem she had to worry about and could, hopefully, recover in peace. 

“_ Hiersring ece!” _ came a shout and before he knew it, he was withering on the ground in agony. 

He felt like he was burning from the inside out and the pain only grew. He had felt this kind of pain before, when Morgana cast a spell on him earlier, but this was much worse. It was stronger than it had been before. Vaguely, Merlin registered screaming but was unaware that it was his own. He was in so much pain that he couldn’t even focus long enough to find some spell to counteract it. 

Then suddenly it stopped and Merlin took a few deep breaths. There was a lingering pain, but nothing like it had been before. He could deal with this, he decided and tried to sit up. Only when he went to move, he found he was restrained again. Some time during his fit, someone had managed to tie him up in ropes. Merlin blinked in surprise and glanced around, the pain finally receding enough that he could think. 

Several Telmarines and Narnians were also restrained, with either ropes or the trees themselves. Quite a few remained motionless on the ground and Merlin wondered if they were dead or just paralyzed by some spell. He quickly sought out Arthur and the knights, needing to know they were safe. 

The Knights were restrained like him, but Arthur wasn’t with them. King Caspian was on the ground a few feet from them, unrestrained but definitely dazed. Merlin assumed he had also been affected by the spell. But he still hadn’t found Arthur and panic rose as he frantically searched for him. When he finally spotted him, his breath caught. There, being held by two bandits in front of Morgana was Arthur. Morgana held a dagger at his throat and Merlin knew he would be dead within minutes if he didn’t think of something. 

Morgana raised her dagger to strike, and Merlin found the right spell. Just as he was about to say it, an order caused them both to stop.

* * *

_ **Spells** _

  * **Timbrung, spannan ðæge pro**: meaning “_Trees, clasp them!_” according the translator.   
  

  * **Forp fleoge**: from throughout the series meaning “fly forth!” 
    * Could also be spelled **Forþ fleoge **according to Merlin Wiki
  * **Abrecap benda**: from _The Tears of Uther Pendragon: Part One _(3x01) meaning “Break the chains!” 
    * Could also be spelled **Abricaþ benda **according to Merlin Wiki
  * **Min strangest might hate pe tospringan**: from _The Tears of Uther Pendragon: Part One_ (3x01) meaning “Make my fierce power strong to open you!” 
    * Could also be spelled **Min strengest miht hate þe tospringan**according to Merlin Wiki
  * **Hiersring ece: **used in chapter 13 meaning “_burning pain_” according to the translator

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was supposed to be one of the last ones but it took on a mind of its own and this happened... Sorry.


	24. Descent into Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ana makes a decision that shocks everyone.

Ana was beginning to hate the darkness. It seemed she was in it so much recently. She hated being unaware of her surroundings, unaware of what was going on. With the phoenix, her senses were heightened and everything was on alert. Without it, she felt lost but at least she had some sense as to what was going on. But this? She had no clue. 

She thought she heard voices once or twice, but couldn’t place what was being said. Ana knew she was cold, but she couldn’t speak to tell anyone about it. She needed to be awake—for Caspian’s sake—but she also knew her body needed to heal. However, she felt herself growing weaker and knew the reason she found herself in the darkness wasn’t exhaustion. It played a part, but the main reason was because she was dying. She knew that without a doubt now. When the phoenix disappeared, so did her life force—at least that’s what it felt like. She had never been without in all the centuries she had been alive. 

_ “Please, Aslan _ .” She asked. _ “I just want the pain to end.” _She received no response and Ana was left alone in the darkness. 

Suddenly, there was a searing pain that travelled through her body. She felt as though she was burning and cried out in agony. The pain pulled her from the darkness, and she shot up straight on her cot. The quick movement pulled at all her injuries and she cried out again. Amari was by her side in an instance. 

“Ana!” she cried, rushing to check her over.   
“Something’s wrong,” Ana said, ignoring the physician and making to get up. She fell to her knees as soon as her feet hit the ground.   
“Lie back,” Amari instructed, trying to pull her back onto the cot.   
“No,” Ana protested. “Something’s wrong with Caspian. I have to go!”   
“His Majesty has ordered that you stay here,” a voice piped up and Ana looked to find Reepicheep.   
“You can’t keep me here. Not if the King’s life is at stake!”   
“I’m simply following orders,” Reepicheep said. “And that is to do whatever it takes to keep you inside.”   
“Reepicheep…” Ana stated, calmly. “I’m not asking. I’m _ begging _ you. Please… You have to let me go.”   
Reepicheep was taken aback by her words. “But Ana, your health…”   
“Doesn’t matter at this moment! My duty is to protect The Crown and if I can’t do that, what have I got?”   
Reepicheep sighed and looked at Amari. “I’ll get your boots,” the physician said and moved to the back of the tent.   
“And I’ll need my weapons,” Ana said. 

Amari brought both, as well as her armor, and Ana sat down to put her shoes on. It ended up being a harder task than anticipated with her feet wrapped and one arm bound. But with a little help from Amari she managed it. Once her shoes were on, Ana secured her arm guard on her freshly wrapped wrist as Amari unbound her arm. 

“You’re ruining all my work,” the physician muttered.   
“I’m sorry, Amari,” and she really was. “But you know I have to do this.” The physician said nothing, but nodded. “Reepicheep… I need you to protect the King,” Ana said as she stood up again.   
“Sorry?” The mouse asked. “I thought that’s what you were doing…”   
“You need to protect him from me…” Both Reepicheep and Amari frowned. “I know what I have to do, and it’s not going to be easy. No matter what happens, I need to know Caspian will be safe from me.”   
“I don’t understand,” Reepicheep said, more confused than before.   
“You will,” Ana said. “Listen to what Aslan is telling you and you’ll know what to do.” Reepicheep bowed his head, knowing Ana was likely right. They prepared to leave, but were halted by Amari.   
“Wait!” she said, reaching out to stop them. “I almost forgot…” She quickly rushed back to retrieve something from one of the tables in the tent. “I’ve spent my free time cleaning and repairing it. His Majesty gave it to me shortly after they found it, but I think you’d like it back now,” Amari explained as she held out her hand. 

Ana smiled and took the necklace from her. She didn’t put it around her neck right away, but clutched it tightly in her hand. The necklace was something she was rarely without since it was connected to her magic. She traced the phoenix charm with her finger for a moment, almost sad. With it gone, she didn’t know what use she had for it, but Ana realized it felt nice to have close. Without another word, she and Reepicheep left the tent.

They were unprepared for the sight that met them. All of the Narnians that were supposed to be guarding the tent, were collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily. They seemed out of it and Ana assumed it was from some kind of spell. She glanced around and noticed Merlin tied up, also a bit out of it, and the Knights bound to a tree by its roots. Most of the Narnians appeared to be in much the same state as those guarding the tent or were restrained as well. Caspian was just sitting up from the ground, most likely from being blown back. And Arthur was being held by two bandits in front of Morgana. 

She had no idea how they had all came to be in this state, but knew she had to act fast. With a nod to Reepicheep, the mouse took off, heading around the perimeter of the camp. He stayed in the shadows and made his way to the King. Ana stepped forward as Morgana raised her dagger. 

“Wait!” she cried out, and several heads swiveled in her direction. Morgana stood frozen mid-strike, but she lowered her dagger and smiled at the sight of Ana.   
“Well, well,” the witch sneered. “Look who’s come out to play.”   
“I was told you wanted to talk,” Ana said nonchalantly, as if she was talking to a friend of hers.   
“Yes…” Morgana pondered. “About your loyalties.”   
“What about them?”   
“Am I to believe that you willingly serve that King,” here she pointed at Caspian with her dagger, “after his people desecrated the Narnian population?”   
“ _ His _ people,” Ana emphasized. “Not him personally…”   
“And here I thought we could be allies, you and I,” Morgana tsked. “But it appears you’d rather side with those who hate magic than your own kind!” Morgana raised a hand to strike.   
“Who says we can’t?” Ana asked, causing several confused looks from the Narnians.   
“What?” Morgana asked, lowering her hand a bit.   
“We can be allies,” Ana said, stepping forward. “I’ll help you, however you’d like. On one condition…”   
“Which is…?” Morgana asked with a hint of suspicion in her voice.   
“You don’t harm the Narnians. You can do what you want to the Telmarines, but not the Narnians. They’re just… confused.” 

Her statement caused several outcries from Narnians and Telmarines alike. Caspian looked absolutely flabbergasted and the Narnians stared at her in shock. The Telmarines’ faces held a mixture of rage and confusion. Arthur, who had been struggling against the bandits, turned his head as much as he could at her statement. Ana knew that he was confused, just as the Narnians were. 

“You’re willing to change loyalties that quickly?” Morgana asked in disbelief. “I was led to believe you’d be hard to convince.”   
“Recent events have caused me to question just exactly where they lie,” Ana shrugged.   
“What are you doing?” Caspian hissed from across the clearing. She ignored him and he looked at Morgana. “What have you done?!”   
“I’ve done nothing,” she told him and turned back to Ana. “Go on…”   
“I was sold to someone… And his treatment of me reminded me of the Telmarines’ treatment of my kind. I could handle what he did because what the Telmarines did to me was much worse.” Here she passed a glance to Caspian. “And I realize I can no longer serve under someone who was that cruel…”   
“It wasn’t me! You know that!” Caspian said, rising to his feet. “What’s happening? What are you doing? This isn’t like you...”   
“Who’s to say you won’t turn on us later?” Ana shrugged and Morgana grinned, glad to see she was seeing reason.   
“Exactly,” she told Ana. “They can’t be trusted. People like them will always turn on people like us. They fear us.”   
“I see that now,” Ana said, looking back at her. “I’m only sorry I didn’t realize it sooner.”   
In a fit of anger, Caspian tried to charge Morgana. But two of the bandits, one of which Ana recognized as Talbot, quickly rushed to hold him back. “Ana! Please… You know I wouldn’t turn on Aslan,” he cried, struggling against his captors.   
“Aslan?” Ana said. She had to be careful what she said next. “Aslan told me my loyalties are misguided.” 

That statement caused Caspian to frown and cease struggling for a moment. The pause provided the bandits with just enough leverage to tie his hands, therefore making it difficult for him to fight back. Ana watched the exchange out of the corner of her eye, her fingers tapping a repetitive pattern on her leg. She kept her eyes solely on Morgana, watching her carefully.

Morgana nodded, and seemed to think for a moment. “You have a deal,” she said. “The Narnians will remain unharmed… The Telmarines, well that’s up to them. I have no quarrel with Narnia, but wouldn’t mind another Kingdom to rule,” she added almost as an afterthought.   
“First, we take Camelot,” Ana said, taking a step towards her. “Then, maybe, Narnia…”   
Morgana nodded in agreement. “Boyd,” she told the leader. “Let’s take these two to go,” here, she pointed at Merlin and Arthur. “Leave the rest to fend for themselves. Your men can do whatever they want. I have no need for them. But leave the Narnians unharmed, as promised.” 

Boyd nodded, and the two holding Arthur pulled him to his feet. Another two went to fetch a restrained Merlin as Ana approached Morgana. She refused to look at Arthur, knowing what kind of look she would receive. Even Merlin was surprised and she could make out the question in his eyes. One she couldn’t answer. 

“Just one little thing,” Morgana said, halting her. “I need you to prove your loyalty to me.”   
“What would you have me do?”   
“Oh, nothing much… Just kill the Telmarine King.” Morgana smiled.   
Ana looked from her to Caspian, who was still being held by the two bandits. “You want me to kill him?”   
“If you don’t mind…”   
“Fine,” Ana said. “But I do it my way. Not yours.” 

At that statement, she pulled her bow and an arrow from the quiver. She showed the point to Morgana and even pressed down on it to prove it was a real arrow. At a nod from Morgana, she knocked the arrow and pulled her bow back, keeping eye contact with her. Then, she looked at Caspian. His eyes held question and a little bit of fear, as if he knew she would really do it. Taking a deep breath, she released the arrow, hitting Caspian in the chest. His face contorted in pain before he fell forward in the bandits’ arms. There were several cries from Narnians and Telmarines alike, but Ana couldn’t focus on that. 

The bandits dropped him to the ground and he fell on his back as they kicked him for good measure. When he had no reaction to it, they nodded to Morgana. She grinned wickedly as Ana looked at her.   
“Very good,” she said. 

And with that statement, Ana followed Morgana away from the campsite. A struggling Arthur and Merlin were pulled behind as the Knights shouted at Morgana. Ana tried not to let the guilt of what she had just done get to her as cries of pain echoed behind them. She only hoped Reepicheep had figured it out and that Aslan would protect them. But more importantly, she hoped everyone understood. She was doing what she had to do. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So after 23 diverged from my original intent, Ch. 23 and Ch. 24 were one chapter. But my editor pointed put that a lot of things were happening in the chapter so it might be better to split them up. They are a bit shorter because of this, but at least not so much was happening all at once.


	25. In the Enemy’s Camp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ana’s decision causes Arthur and Merlin to question everything they knew about her

They traveled on foot for a while, knowing the others would have a hard time coming after them. Half of the bandits had left with them while the rest stayed behind. Ana assumed to torture the Telmarines but she doubted they would leave the Narnians unharmed. But she also knew the bandits that stayed behind would likely never catch up to them. Their trail was well covered, but they would also have to survive the wrath of the Narnians. 

When they were a safe enough distance from the campsite, Morgana stopped. With a flash of her eyes and a wave of her hand, most of the ropes binding Merlin were removed and placed on Arthur instead. Merlin’s wrists were bound in front of him and connected to a length of rope. This rope was held by the bandits. Arthur was tied just like Merlin and even though he tried to fight, it did him no good. Even if he somehow managed to shake off the bandits, he still had Morgana to deal with. That was nearly impossible with a sword, and without one, it was just unthinkable. 

Throughout the whole process, Ana never said a word. She tried not to look at Merlin or Arthur, knowing the looks she’d receive. But that couldn’t be helped. Once you started down that dark path, it was hard to go back. She knew this, but she also knew that appearances were deceiving. 

They were escorted to horses that had been hidden from sight. Once again, Merlin and Arthur were secured to the back of the horses and would be forced to walk behind them. Morgana grinned at the idea while Arthur struggled against his bonds even more. He passed a glance to Merlin who was doing his best to struggle, but it was rather a pointless effort. 

“Morgana… Let Merlin go,” Arthur tried to reason. “You have me. You have no need for him.”

“Arthur, no,” Merlin objected. 

Morgana chuckled. “Oh I have plenty need for him.” 

They made to leave when Boyd spoke up. “What about the rest of my men?” he asked. 

He seemed to grow more anxious the longer the rest of his men remained absent. And now, after nearly an hour later, they still hadn’t caught up with them. He had good reason to worry, Ana knew, but didn’t say anything to them. Morgana might’ve accepted her—though that was still up for debate—but these bandits did not. Especially after she killed one of their men to save a Telmarine. Ana could tell just by the looks they kept sending her. Some of them had looks of anger and others of lust. They still wanted her. 

“If they haven’t caught up by now, we can’t wait,” Morgana said. 

“Why not?” Boyd protested. 

“Because the Narnians that are still alive will be looking for me…” Ana spoke up. “Which means they’re looking for us.” 

“Then we can just kill you and be done with it,” the leader sneered, reaching for his dagger. Ana stiffened, ready to fight if needed. 

“You will do no such thing!” Morgana hissed. “She’s with us now.” 

“You think you can trust her?” the bandit huffed. 

“I trust her more than I trust you,” Morgana told him. “You’d do anything for money… She’s killed for me.” 

The bandit leader remained silent after that, realizing he could not persuade Morgana to see his side. Instead, he chose to send Ana a warning glance as he mounted one of the other horses present. As much as Ana wanted to ride a horse—her feet were killing her—she declined the one offered, choosing instead to take up the rear. She promised Morgana that she could easily hide their trail and misguide anyone who followed. Hiding tracks was easy, but hiding one’s scent was harder. Ana knew she’d be the hardest to track and used that to her advantage. 

On occasion, Merlin would slip and leave dragging marks in the dirt. Ana quickly covered these up using a variety of techniques. Every time he tripped, Morgana would have his rope tightened to force him to his feet. She would laugh and mock him, no matter what he did. It was much the same for Arthur. Morgana enjoyed tormenting them with words. But Ana knew that once they stopped the real torture would begin. She wanted Arthur dead, yes, but she also wanted him to suffer. 

A few times, Merlin would glance back at her. There was a question on his face that wasn’t concealed by his anger towards her. Convincing him she knew what she was doing was going to be difficult. So instead she kept her face emotionless and pretended not to notice him looking at her. When he wouldn't stop, she eventually fixed him with a glare that told him nothing while still being threatening. 

They stopped after another hour of traveling, much to Ana’s relief. She knew her feet were probably bleeding again. This was because when she had been left with the bandits, she had tried to escape. So the bandits took her boots, forcing her to run barefoot across rocks and the forest floor consisting of thistles and branches. It cut up her feet really bad and the point had been made. If she ran, she would cause herself more pain. It seemed so long ago now. So much had happened since then. 

Morgana cast a spell around the camp to conceal it from prying eyes. It was well past midday by then, but no one had gotten much sleep the previous night. So it was logical that they would stop for a break and some rest. Even a powerful sorceress needed to sleep at some point. 

Arthur and Merlin were secured near a tree, with Talbot and another bandit on watch. The rest watered the horses or spread themselves out throughout the camp. Ana watched everyone carefully, knowing she was in unwelcome company. The bandits didn’t trust her, Morgana had good reason to question her loyalty, and Arthur and Merlin—while likely confused—also had good reason to doubt her intentions. 

She wrapped her right arm around her ribs as she settled near a tree on the outskirts of the camp. It took everything in her to not let out a hiss of pain when she sat down. All her injuries hurt, but she had to pretend she was fine. If any of them saw her weak, it would place an even bigger target on her back. She didn’t even bother to take off her boots when she knew it would help. It would only be a reminder of just what kind of shape she was in. 

Ana saw Morgana and the bandit leader in a quiet conversation across the camp. Morgana frowned and passed a look in her direction, before saying something to him. Whatever she said had the leader nearly recoiling in fear as he backed away. Ana could only guess that she had threatened him. She did suspect that the leader mentioned something about her killing Borris at some point. If that wasn’t what he had mentioned, he either would later or already had. Morgana’s actions did tell her that perhaps she trusted Ana more than she had thought. 

When everyone else seemed to ignore her, only then did she look at Merlin and Arthur. At the moment, Arthur was watching Morgana and paying no attention to her. Merlin on the other hand was glaring at her. She deserved that, she supposed, after murdering Caspian in front of everyone. She had broken his trust and he now saw her as a threat to his King. But Ana knew Merlin’s secret and if she was truly as evil as she seemed, it wouldn’t be long before that secret was out in the open. There was no way she could mention it to him though and so she simply sent him a questioning look in return. 

And as everyone began to doze off, Merlin and Ana stayed awake. Their eyes remained locked on each other, both unwilling to break the contact. But each had different reasons. 

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~ **

Merlin was thoroughly and utterly confused. He wasn’t sure what he expected to happen when Ana appeared, but it certainly wasn’t that. After switching sides and killing King Caspian, Merlin was sure she was under some sort of spell. There was no way she would’ve done that under normal circumstances. But he couldn’t figure out who would’ve cast it or how. The obvious choice was Morgana, but she seemed too focused on attacking the others to cast a spell on Ana who wasn’t even present. 

He tried to ask Ana what was going on, but she refused to look at him for the most part. His magic was bubbling underneath the surface but he didn’t know if that was because of Morgana or Ana. He still hoped that this was some spell and he could break it—too late for the Narnian King. If it was a spell, he knew Ana’s reaction would be devastating. He hadn’t been able to come up with a spell to stop her arrow—completely unprepared for it—so he partially blamed himself. 

But as they traveled, Merlin began to doubt it was a spell. Neither Morgana nor the bandits seemed to trust her completely. They made sure that Arthur and himself weren’t near Ana at any point during their travels, especially alone. And then there was the matter of her almost ignoring them. She refused to look at them, as if they didn’t exist, and kept focused on her task. She even erased the trail he was trying to leave, even the magic ones. She was too keen for that. 

That was another problem. Ana knew he had magic and even that he was called Emrys. No doubt Morgana would mention something about it and there went his anonymity. It was only a matter of time. The fact that she hadn’t said anything yet gave Merlin hope that she wasn’t completely gone. But this whole situation was very strange and very unlike the Ana he had come to know. He couldn’t believe she would betray her kingdom like that. 

Morgana finally made camp and allowed them to rest. While Arthur focused on Morgana, Merlin watched Ana. He saw her avoid the other bandits and make for the outskirts of the camp. She had found a tree about as close to them as she could get and when she sat down, Merlin remembered her injuries. Unaware he was glaring, he began to study her when she looked over. It was the first time she paid them more than a passing glance. She gave him a questioning look. 

They kept eye contact, even as soft snoring descended through the camp. Many of the bandits fell asleep but neither of them looked away. Merlin was trying to ask a silent question, to figure out what was going on. He didn’t want to miss a single thing that might reveal what was really happening. But she wasn’t giving him anything. 

Finally, after a long stare down, Ana looked away. Her eyes roamed the camp before landing back on them. After a moment’s pause, she attempted to stand up. He watched as her face contorted in pain and she paused in her movements. She took a few deep breaths and appeared to be calming herself. With mostly everyone asleep, she didn’t care who saw her struggle like she had earlier. 

After a few moments in which she rested on the tree, Ana began to approach them. Her footsteps drew the attention of Arthur, who snapped his head in her direction. Merlin barely dared to pass him a glance to see what he thought of the matter. Neither had really spoken of it and now he was curious. Arthur’s furrowed brow showed his confusion, but his stiff posture showed his distrust. Merlin was glad to know he wasn’t the only one confused about the whole situation. 

Before Ana reached them, she looked at the two bandits on watch—though they weren’t actually doing their jobs—and then back around the camp. It appeared she was looking for something. Then she quietly approached the bandit to their left and paused when she reached him. Again her eyes flicked around the camp, but Merlin still had no idea what was happening. She knelt down next to the bandit and carefully withdrew the dagger from the man’s waist. Here, she paused and looked specifically at Morgana before removing the blade completely. 

That finished, she retreated to her spot by the tree and stood there, seeming to be waiting. The whole time, Arthur and he watched her. Ana was aware of it, but purposely avoided looking at them. It was probably the guilt over what she had done. Acknowledging them meant she had to admit what she had done and Merlin couldn’t help but feel a little satisfied that she was embarrassed. At least she still had a conscience, no matter how twisted her actions seemed to have been. 

After standing by the tree for a good while, playing with the dagger, Ana approached them again. She kept the dagger down, in a non threatening position, but Arthur still stiffened when she approached. Merlin wasn’t even sure what to do. Passing another glance about the camp, she knelt down so she was more at eye level with them. 

“If I free you,” she whispered, “they’ll know it was me. What I can do instead is to provide you with the means to escape yourself…” She held the dagger out so that either of them could grab it with their bound hands. 

“Why should we trust you?” Arthur hissed. “How do we know this is not some ploy to have us killed?” 

“You have every reason to doubt me,” Ana told them. “But you have to understand that everything I am doing is for a reason.” 

“And what reason is that? What could possibly make you kill your king?” Arthur pressed. “After everything he did to save you and you turn around and kill him!” 

“Shh!” Ana shushed. “Do you want the whole camp to wake up?” She paused for a moment and then continued. “I’m an excellent marksman who’s trained under a physician. I can break all 206 bones in the human body while naming them, know exactly how to cause a slow and painful death, or make it quick and painless. Do you honestly think that I can’t shoot a man 20 feet away and not hit anything vital?” 

Merlin knew his face showed surprise. “You mean… he’s alive?” 

“Yes,” she nodded. “All it took was well aimed shot and a bit of acting on his part and everyone believes it. It hurts like the dickens but he should recover rather quickly.” She offered the dagger again and this time Arthur took it. 

“He knew?” Arthur asked. 

“He figured it out… And gave me permission to shoot him, otherwise I wouldn’t have done it. And then this wouldn’t have worked.” She stood to walk away again, but then stopped. “One more thing… I know you’re against magic, but I want to give you something that should protect you against Morgana.” 

“Why?” 

“Because you’re the one she wants to kill…” Ana answered. She held out her right hand and it was then that Merlin noticed a small chain wrapped around it. “I never let this out of my sight except under dire circumstances. It has always protected me, even though it may not look like much. Now I’m giving it to you so that it will hopefully protect you. I don’t know if it really will, but I hope it does.” With Arthur’s consent, she placed the object in the pocket of his trousers. Merlin didn’t even have a chance to see what it really was. “You just need to have it on you… Try not to lose it,” she said with a light smile. “Plan your escape carefully or else it will do little good.” 

Merlin saw Arthur nod and Ana quickly returned to her spot. She slid to the ground and put on an emotionless mask. Merlin realized she was good at pretending, but he still wondered how much of what she said was true. It didn’t look like anyone could survive that arrow. And if what she said was true, why would she go through all that trouble? Why imbed herself with her enemies, people who wouldn’t trust her? It just seemed strange to him. 

“Do you think she’s lying?” Merlin asked Arthur. 

“About what?” 

“Anything… Everything.”

“I don’t know… But she did offer to help us. She says one thing but I can’t get what I saw back with the others out of my head. He didn’t look like he was acting.” Merlin knew exactly who he meant without him having to say. 

The two eventually lapsed into silence. With little else to do, Merlin kept a close watch on the others. Ana remained wide awake and unwilling to sleep. He doubted she would if she was surrounded by enemies. The others appeared to be sound asleep, but Merlin couldn’t be too sure. That’s when he realized why Ana had retreated to the tree after stealing the dagger. She didn’t know who was watching her so she made it seem like she took the dagger for her own needs. Still very clever and enemy or not, that made her very dangerous. 


	26. A Fiery Rage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> People begin to realize how dangerous Ana could be.

Later that evening, the camp began to rouse. Arthur dozed off at some point, but Merlin refused to. He kept an eye out for any threats. His eyes wandered over to Ana, who was also awake and watching the others. Merlin knew that she was aware that he was watching her. Still, she didn’t look in their direction once and he wasn’t sure how to take such an action. 

When the two bandits on watch awoke, Merlin was afraid they would notice the missing dagger. He nudged Arthur with his shoulder to make sure he was awake should anything happen. But the bandit didn’t appear to notice, or at least he made no big scene about it. It was possible they would mention it to the bandit leader or Morgana himself. So Merlin waited with bated breath for something to happen. 

Food was procured from somewhere and served to the bandits as well as Morgana. Ana, who hadn’t moved from her tree, was offered food, but she turned it down. She still wasn’t eating and Merlin did feel a little concerned about that. Arthur and Merlin were given none. No one even passed them a glance, choosing to pretend like they didn’t exist. Arthur frowned, but was smart enough to refrain from any comment. Merlin was relieved at that, knowing any comment would likely result in pain of some kind. 

“As much as I would like to stay,” Morgana said, “I think we’ve wasted enough time.” 

Boyd nodded and gestured to Talbot and another bandit. These two approached Arthur and Merlin, resulting in both of them stiffening. But they did nothing besides untying them from the tree. Merlin watched as Arthur carefully tucked the dagger away so that it was hidden by his clothes. 

As they were pulled towards the horses, he looked back at Ana. She stumbled to her feet, hand going to her ribs and face contorting in pain. She raised her left hand to her forehead for a brief moment and then stumbled away from the tree. If her sluggish movements were any indication, she was in a lot of pain. None of the others seemed to notice or comment on it, so Merlin assumed they were too busy to notice. If she was evil, why hadn’t she asked for help? Why hadn’t she gotten treatment? 

These were questions that only Ana could answer. So as they were secured to the horses, Merlin passed her a glance. This time she acknowledged it and sent him a weak smile. Whether it was meant to encourage him or assure him that she was alright was unknown. He noticed that Ana did take the offered horse this time. She struggled to pull herself into the saddle and maintain her composure. It was then that Arthur noticed her stiff movements as well, judging by the concerned look that crossed his face. Then they were off, traveling to who knew where. 

As they traveled, Arthur watched his captors. Ana was right that he would have to plan their escape carefully. Doing so now would result in their immediate recapture. He had thought about escaping when they were tied to the tree but knew Morgana had cast some spell around the camp. It could’ve very well signaled to her when they left. Unless he knew that it was safe to go, he couldn’t. He wouldn’t risk the chance of getting caught, not when Merlin was with him. 

The fact that Morgana brought him with her made Arthur very concerned. She should’ve had all she needed when she captured him. There would’ve been no need for her to drag Merlin along, yet she did. So far Morgana had left them both alone, but Arthur doubted that would last. So he had to figure out a way for them to escape, at least Merlin. As long as Merlin was safe, he could handle whatever Morgana did to him. It wasn’t right that Merlin should suffer along with him. 

Arthur glanced at his bumbling servant when he fell down, again. He was falling too often for it to have been due to his usual clumsiness. It made Arthur suspicious and was concerned as to why the others didn’t seem to notice—or care. Merlin had to have been falling on purpose. Perhaps he was taking a page out of Ana’s book and trying to leave a trail. This thought had him searching her out. 

When she mounted the horse, Arthur had seen her struggle. It wasn’t just a struggle for her to get into the saddle, but a struggle to keep her injuries hidden. He couldn’t figure out why she was pretending to be fine if she was amongst friends. Surely they would allow treatment for her injuries. Yet she still tried to conceal them, going so far as to pretend they didn’t exist, it seemed. But the bandages on her wrist gave them away nonetheless. 

Ana had left him confused no matter what. He was surprised, yet a little thankful, when she had shown up. It stopped Morgana from killing him. However, the longer the two engaged in conversation , the more confused Arthur got. Just as he was starting to believe that maybe—just maybe—not everyone  who  had magic was evil, she did the unthinkable. He was horrified when he watched her pull back her bow and even more so when her king collapsed to the ground. She had turned on the Narnian king so quickly that Arthur no longer knew what to think. 

Later though, when they were alone, Ana had again done something unexpected. She had provided them with a weapon and offered some sort of magical protection. Arthur had wanted to decline the offer but something about her tone had him relenting. He still had no idea what she had put in his pocket, but he knew it was jewelry of some kind. It was also light as he could barely feel it in the pocket of his trousers. He did feel a bit hypocritical having it, but she also didn’t promise that it would protect him. So that made him feel a little better about it. 

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

After who knows how long, they eventually stopped, to Merlin’s great relief. He had lost track of exactly how many times he had eaten dirt and was glad for a break. His wrists were sore and rubbed raw from the chafing of the ropes. He was a bit surprised when they untied them from the horses. He thought they would start traveling again soon, but it appeared Morgana had other plans. 

“Hey…” one bandit said suddenly, drawing Merlin’s attention as he was secured to a tree. “Where’s my dagger?” Merlin’s eyes flicked to Ana, who had just finished dismounting, at that statement. 

“You lost it?” Boyd sneered. “How did you lose it?!” 

“He never had it,” Ana spoke up. 

“Did too!” the man argued. 

“No… In your haste to leave the clearing, you neglected to grab one,” Ana said. 

“Huh?” The bandit scratched his head as if he couldn’t remember. 

“Lies!” Boyd accused. “You took it, didn’t you?!” 

“You can search me! I haven’t taken anything. I’m simply more observant than your men,” Ana countered. “Talbot has two concealed daggers that he took from the Telmarines. You have one. The other is visible for all to see. The rest of your men stole whatever weapons they could easily carry including an axe, a crossbow—though he neglected to grab more than two crossbolts—maces, and a few daggers.  _ Dalcop _ here took nothing but a sword,” here Ana gestured to the first bandit that spoke who looked rather offended at her insult. 

Boyd stared at her in shock while Morgana looked impressed. 

“You noticed all that?” Morgana said. 

“I get paid to be observant,” Ana shrugged. 

The matter dropped and Morgana approached them. She withdrew her blade from her waist and grinned wickedly. Ana followed her, but the rest simply scattered throughout the camp. While Boyd did eye Ana suspiciously, he said nothing else. The bandits obviously had no interest in what Morgana was about to do. Merlin suspected it wasn’t good. 

“I’m going to enjoy torturing you,” Morgana sneered. “To have you suffer as I have suffered.”

“Why?” Ana interrupted and Morgana turned to look at her. “I thought we were supposed to be better than them. Torturing him makes us just as evil.” 

“Oh grow up, child. Life isn’t always sunshine and roses,” Morgana said with contempt turning back to Arthur. 

At Morgana’s comment, Ana’s face darkened so quickly one could’ve missed the blank expression she previously held. Evil or not, it did not belong on her face. It just didn’t fit. It sent a shiver down his spine and Merlin was sure that if looks could kill, Morgana would’ve been dead ten times over. He felt more terrified just by the look on her face than he felt staring death in the face. That was saying something. 

“Excuse me?” Ana hissed. Something in her tone, caused Morgana to stop and face her. 

“I’m sorry?” Morgana asked. 

“I’m well aware the world isn’t full of sunshine and roses. I was found abandoned on the steps of my parents’ house when I was less than a day old. My birth parents didn’t want me, and it had nothing to do with my magic. Those didn’t start showing up until I was a couple weeks old and then it became a problem. What do you do if you have a child that can spontaneously catch fire—and burn down your house or the woods—every time she cries? They did the one thing they could, as much as they hated it. They found someone who was able to control my magic, lock it up, so to speak, until I could control it myself. This of course made phoenix more wild and less under my control, but I don’t blame my parents for that. They did what they had to. “When I was ten years old, my parents were brutally murdered. And I could do nothing to help them. Knowing that they were after me, my mother told me to hide and not come out no matter what happens. I obeyed because I was ten years old and terrified. As a result, I watched as they killed my mother right in front of me. They tore the place apart trying to find me, but they never did. So do you know what they did? They burned my house to the ground with me inside! My magic saved my life. I lost everything that day and I was on my own from then on. Knowing that they would still try to kill me, I refused to let any of the Narnians take me in. I knew they would likely be met with the same fate.” Ana was angry, but she paused enough to let her words sink in. 

Her posture and tone radiated both irritance and anger, but Merlin couldn’t figure out why. Her story, though sad, didn’t really explain what made her so mad. It couldn’t have been Morgana’s off-handed comment about life. It was a true statement, after all, and Ana seemed to be agreeing. Yet something Morgana had said or done caused a whole other person to emerge. So what exactly was it? 

“And do you know why they wanted to kill me?” Ana asked. 

“Because of your magic,” Morgana assumed. The frown on Ana’s face said it all.

“No. It was because I was human,” Ana answered. “Having magic, you can hide if you have to. Being human? How do you hide that? You can’t. I was ten years old and being pursued because I was born human. That’s it.” Another pause and no one spoke. No one knew what to say. “Flash forward a century and I’m finally free. Fifteen years of peace and then… Our kingdom struggles to stay afloat and we eventually fell to a Telmarine invasion. This time, they were wiping anything with magic and this time, I could hide. I could pretend. But I wasn’t about to live amongst the people who slaughtered my kind. 

“So I fought to provide the Narnians with a chance to survive and some got away. But I did not. Do you know the name of the person who ordered my torture? The person who ordered the Telmarines to inflict all sorts of horrors and unspeakable things on me?” Morgana simply shook her head no. “Really? Because you act like you know so much about our history. Or were you too focused on the parts that might help you further your cause to notice? The name of my captor was King Caspian I. The man I killed,  _ for you _ , was King Caspian X. His own ancestors have hurt me. Everyday I hear the name of the man who tortured me and have to remind myself it wasn’t him who did it.

“I have suffered more than you could ever hope to know. I’ve been suffering since before you were born, struggling to survive. While you grew up living a life of luxury in a castle, I was starving in a dank and dirty cell. I crawled my way to the top to earn the respect I had and then I threw it all away  _ for you _ . And you have the audacity to call me a child and tell me to grow up?”  _ Oh _ , Merlin realized,  _ so that was it. _ “Please. I’m the oldest one here, older than any of the Narnians. My magic keeps me stuck as a child and it’s a curse I wouldn’t wish upon my greatest enemy. Eternal youth is one thing. But a child? No one gives you the respect you deserve. I finally found someone who did, but I betrayed them  _ for you _ . Because I thought ‘her and I, we’re the same. She understands me.’ But it appears I was mistaken on that as well.” 

Everyone was shocked into silence, including Morgana. But she recovered enough to stutter out: “What exactly are you saying?”

“I do not, and will not condone torture,” Ana said. “I have suffered enough to know that those with and without magic will do whatever it takes to get what they want. If you’re going to kill them, you have my support. But if you’re going to torture them I want no part in it.” 

Morgana looked at her with a thoughtful expression on her face. "You sound so confident in your convictions," she noted, causing Merlin to stare at her in surprise. Morgana was not one to accept disagreement  without instant retaliation. The fact that she hadn't stopped Ana right away was very unusual. Merlin couldn't hide his surprise so he was glad Morgana had her back turned on him. "It's true, torture is a rather twisted way of dealing with one's enemies. Besides, I'm sure I could come up with something much better." At that statement she  glanced back over her shoulder at them, face twisting into a smirk as  Merlin who quickly tried to turn his face emotionless. "Of course," she continued, "if I'm to attack Camelot, he has information I need. Information he will not give up willingly .” 

Merlin saw Ana frown. “But maybe you don’t need it.”

“How am I supposed to get past the walls then? Your magic most certainly won’t do it,” Morgana hissed. 

“Do you even know what my magic is?” Ana countered. “I can fly right over them. Camelot will not be the first invaded by an aerial attack. And, if that is your wish, I guarantee I can convince a few of the Narnians to help before word gets out of my treachery. Ever heard of gryphons?” 

At this statement, Merlin blanched. He remembered the energy it had taken to cast a powerful enough spell to kill the last one. He couldn’t imagine having to use it on several gryphons. Not only that but it was such a visible spell that one would have to be blind to not know it was magic. He was lucky Lancelot hadn’t cared about his magic, but there was no way he could explain it to Arthur. The King may not be as kind as his Knight had been, especially given his current circumstances with magic.

“You have gryphons?” Arthur chose to say at that exact moment, drawing both women’s attention to him. “Did you send them to attack Camelot a few years ago?!” He was angry but at Ana’s surprised expression, he calmed a bit.

“Up until a year ago I was locked in  a cell…” Ana stated calmly. “I had no control over anything that happened to Camelot before this year.” 

“They defeated the last one,” Morgana pointed out. “What’s to stop them from killing the ones you send?” 

“They won’t succeed in getting all of them,” Ana said. “And besides, using them to attack Camelot is not quite what I had in mind.” 

“Oh! What were you thinking?” Morgana seemed genuinely curious now. 

But Ana didn’t answer her right away. Instead, she flicked her eyes to Arthur and Merlin before looking back at Morgana. The message was clear for all of them. She would not be discussing anything further with them nearby and Merlin frowned. If Ana didn’t plan to use the gryphons to attack Camelot, how exactly did she mean to use them? 

“I’ll keep them alive for now,” Morgana said. “I want him to watch as I take my Kingdom from him.” She smiled gleefully and the two left them alone, presumably to discuss how they would attack Camelot. Merlin knew they had to escape soon if they were to have any chance of stopping the attack. One glance at Arthur told Merlin he was thinking along the same lines. 

But Merlin still had two burning questions on his mind: Was everything Ana said just for show, to make her circumstances believable, or was she truly on Morgana’s side? If she was still on their side, how much of her past was true?   


* * *

**Definitions**

***Dalcop** meaning a particularly stupid person 


	27. Even With Broken Wings, You Can Still Touch the Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ana’s health deteriorates as Arthur and Merlin try to escape.

Shortly after their little break where Morgana decided not to torture them, the group was moving again. No one said much and both he and Arthur had pretty much given up on fighting back. They knew it would do them little good. What they needed was to get away. 

At some point during their journey, Ana started coughing. It was those wet, harsh, body wracking coughs and she wrapped her arms around her ribs at the force of them. The first few coughing fits the others paid little mind to, only sending her a few nasty glances. But as they grew more frequent, Merlin could tell the others were getting annoyed by them and Morgana looked—dare he say it—concerned. Even Arthur had resulted in sending worried glances in her direction. 

Another round of coughs wracked her body and Ana had to stop. The party also slowed to a halt and this time Morgana turned to question her. 

“What is wrong with you?” Morgana hissed. 

“I’ve spent the last week being beaten to a pulp, tortured, and had my magic restrained. Excuse me for not being at peak health,” Ana clipped back. “I don’t know what brought these coughs on, but I haven’t had a chance to remedy it.” 

“I can use magic,” Morgana offered, stepping forward. Ana recoiled backwards. 

“My magic is very finicky about others’ magic. Using yours could result in more harm than good,” Ana explained. Merlin wasn’t sure if that was true or if she just didn’t want Morgana to heal her. “If I’m a distraction I can stay behind.” 

“Yes,” the bandit leader said at the same time Morgana said: “No.” She turned to the leader. “She stays with us…” 

“You can’t trust her!” Boyd argued again. 

“And leaving her behind does what exactly?” Morgana asked. 

“I’ll find some herbs and make a tonic when we stop,” Ana said before the leader could answer. 

“We can stop now,” Morgana ordered. 

So that was exactly what they did. Merlin and Arthur were untied from the horses and tied to a tree, just like before. Once they were secure, they were left alone on the outskirts of the camp. This time, however, one of the bandits returned with a waterskin and allowed them to drink. He had to do all the work since their hands were bound and Merlin found himself wearing most of the water. When the bandit left, Merlin looked around the camp but saw no sign of Ana. He assumed she had already set out to find some medicine. A cough rang through the trees and he knew she wasn’t far away. 

But that cough was concerning for him and if Ana was any sort of a physician, she should’ve been concerned too. Merlin knew she wasn’t at peak condition when they started out, far from it in fact. He remembered the cuts on her feet and wondered just how she was able to walk. Broken and cracked ribs, bruises, cuts on the verge of infection, and a dislocation were all the injuries Merlin knew of or overheard Amari talking about. There was no way those had healed and the fact that she was coughing was definitely a bad sign. Had she contracted some sort of illness or was the coughing the result of her magic? Not eating couldn’t be helping things either.

He waited for Ana to return and when she did, he watched her carefully. He noticed her stiff posture and the fact that she stumbled when she walked. They weren’t her graceful and cautious movements he had seen before. She glanced up at him suddenly. Sorrow and pain was written all over her face, taking Merlin aback. Up until that point the only emotion she had really shown was anger. She was careful to conceal any signs of pain and those that slipped through were immediately locked up again. But that look told Merlin that Ana knew exactly what was wrong and that it wasn’t good. Even though he had thought her the enemy, he was still worried for her. For Ana to show such vulnerability something was very wrong. 

And just like that, her face became an emotionless mask and she sat down near the newly created fire to make her remedy. One of the bandits would bring her a bottle or tool she needed, but little else happened. Merlin could always tell when a coughing fit was about to happen as she would quickly set her materials down. Once they settled, she continued as if nothing happened. 

But Merlin—and Arthur he noted—watched her with ever growing concern. They knew something wasn’t right with Ana but they weren’t sure whether to ask her or ignore it. Was she a friend or was she a foe? Until they could answer that question, they couldn’t allow themselves to get too worried. Unfortunately both Arthur and Merlin cared too much about people to not let their concern show. Even with the mixed signals Ana was sending, they were still worried for her. 

Ana finished her tonic and immediately drank it. Merlin knew it would provide little remedy as she wasn’t gone long enough to get all the necessary herbs. He watched her carefully as she moved away from the fire. She was paler than usual and the fact that he noticed it from further away was saying something. As Ana wrapped her arms around her middle, Merlin could’ve swore she was shivering. She had gotten colder, the fire brought about her only warmth. 

She coughed again and rustling drew Merlin’s attention back to the bandits. The leader took a few steps toward her, hand on his sword and a murderous glint in his eye. 

“I’ve had enough of you!” he sneered, drawing the attention of his men and Morgana. “Your coughing is giving away our location!” 

“I wouldn’t be in this mess if it wasn't for you!” Ana responded. “Most of my injuries came from you and your men.” 

“We evidently didn’t do enough damage as you’re still breathing. Perhaps it’s time we remedy that.” He drew his sword and Merlin watched as Ana stiffened. 

“Boyd!” Morgana ordered. 

“I will not back down!” he said, eyes never leaving Ana. “Your compassion for a fellow magic user has blinded you. She’s probably faking this whole thing just so her people can catch up to us.” 

“I can’t fake this!” Ana protested. As if to prove her point, she had another coughing fit. 

“I should’ve let my men have their fun with you and never sold you!” he hissed. “We would’ve done a better job at breaking that arrogance out of you!” He gestured at her with his sword. “I think it’s time we show you exactly who’s in charge here.” 

The leader moved towards her but before Ana could retrieve an arrow, he was thrown back. Everyone looked at Morgana. Her hand was outstretched and the remnants of gold faded from her eyes. The bandits appeared shocked but Ana remained emotionless. 

“I’m in charge here,” Morgana said. “You will not lay a hand on her.” 

“She’s tricking you!” Boyd protested, rising to his feet. “Her king probably isn’t even dead!” 

“But your men confirmed he was,” Morgana said. 

“If you protect her,” the leader said, “my men and I will no longer follow you.” 

“You think you can just abandon me?” Morgana laughed. “You owe me. I saved your life.” 

“We owe you nothing! Half my men are dead because of you. And her!” 

The bandit pointed at Ana again and Merlin found her looking at him from the corner of her eye. He frowned, wondering why she was focusing on him instead of the potential fight—oh. Suddenly, it clicked and he nudged Arthur as Morgana and the bandit leader continued yelling at each other. If a fight broke out, they would be too distracted to notice if Arthur and he slipped away. Hopefully they wouldn’t notice until they were far enough away. Arthur got the message and began working on the ropes. 

“We’re leaving!” Boyd told Morgana before turning to his men. “Gather what you can. I will not abide by this foolishness any longer. The girl cannot be trusted and I will not follow someone that leads to my death.” His men immediately set to work gathering supplies, but paused when Morgana spoke.

“You’re right… This is foolishness. You’re no longer useful to me.” Morgana’s eyes flashed gold and the bandit’s hands went to his throat. He tried to remove the invisible force, but was unable to. 

His men charged at her, rushing to their leader’s aid. Merlin could only watch as the bandit was raised off the ground and then tossed into the nearest tree. He slid boneless to the ground, clearly dead. She threw the others back, and Merlin soon realized this fight was very one-sided. If Morgana managed to take out a large portion of Narnians, she would have no problem handling these bandits. Granted the bandits did help her that last time, but this was different. They were fewer in numbers and she wouldn’t need help killing a few. 

Realizing they’d never get through the ropes fast enough, Merlin knew they had one option left. It was dangerous to do with Arthur so close, but he didn’t have much choice. Choosing to use his earlier spell, Merlin made sure his face was turned away and muttered under his breath. He felt the ropes fall away and risked a glance at Arthur. Before he could determine what Arthur thought, he was being pulled by his jacket and the two made their way to the woods. Merlin glanced back just long enough to see Ana shoot one of the bandits. Turns out Morgana had more help than he thought.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~ **

They ran as fast as they could. Merlin paid little attention to the scenery as it flew past him. They didn’t care where they were going or what kind of trail they were leaving. Morgana could be on them in a second and they had to get away. Without some distance between them, they wouldn’t have a fair fight.

Just when he thought he couldn’t run anymore, they slowed to a walk and Merlin was able to catch his breath. Arthur was puffing beside him as well, thoroughly exhausted. Hearing no sounds behind them, they figured they were a good distance away. Now they just needed to figure out where they were going and cover their trail. 

“We need to head back to the Narnian camp,” Arthur said between breaths. “It’s risky, but without the Knights we don’t stand a chance. If any of them survived, they’ll be looking for us.” 

“They’re alive,” Merlin assured him. 

“How can you be so sure?” 

“Why do you think the rest of the bandits never caught up to us?”

“You think the Knights killed them?” 

“No… I think the Narnians did. Morgana gave orders that they were to be unharmed. The Narnians outnumbered them and it’s likely Morgana’s spell wore off enough that they could fight. If the Narnians killed them, the Knights would be alive.” 

“How do you know her spell wore off?” Arthur questioned and Merlin silently cursed himself at his carelessness. 

“Just a guess,” Merlin shrugged. “But I believe the Knights are alive.” 

Arthur sent him a small smile, indicating his doubts, but said nothing else. He evidently bought Merlin’s explanation about the magic. Having little else to contribute, the two continued their journey in silence. They did move off the main path to make their trail harder to follow. Merlin was sure to leave tracks going in the opposite direction to hopefully throw Morgana off. With any luck, she wouldn’t realize they were not familiar with this territory and find the trail believable. 

Merlin knew one of the unspoken reasons why they headed back the direction they came was because Arthur didn’t want to get lost. He wasn’t familiar with these woods like he was in Camelot and the surrounding kingdoms. These he had never been in before and even careful navigation could leave them in enemy lands. It was safer to travel back where they came, but it was risky because Morgana could predict that that was exactly what they planned. If she knew a shortcut, she could catch up to them. Merlin hoped that whatever reason Ana was with Morgana would end up working in their favor. That is if she wasn’t killed because they had escaped. The thought brought a frown to his face. 

“What is it Merlin?” Arthur asked. 

“Sorry?” Merlin said, not realizing he was frowning. 

“Your face looks like the back end of a cat. What’s the matter?”

“It’s just—I was just—I was thinking about Ana…” Merlin was careful what he said. Arthur had good reason to distrust her. 

“What about her?” His tone was clipped. 

“Do you think Morgana will punish her for our escape? I mean… she likely killed the bandits and would have no one else to blame but Ana.” 

“We can’t worry about that. Ana made her decision. She chose to stay with Morgana,” Arthur chided him. 

“But she saved your life… What if it was because of you?” Merlin asked and his question caused Arthur to stop in his tracks. 

“Saved my life?!” 

“Earlier… She stopped Morgana from killing you. Then later she provides us with a means to escape, and after that she convinces Morgana not to torture us! Why would she care about any of that if she was evil?” Merlin had to ask. It was driving him crazy trying to come up with an answer. “Not to mention she practically signaled for us to leave before the fighting broke out.”

Arthur seemed to ponder that for a minute. “Maybe she’s not as evil as we’re led to believe. However, the fact remains that she killed her king and she has magic. That makes her evil.” 

“Her magic does?” Merlin asked. “She hasn’t used her magic to harm anyone or even kill her king. The only incident in which she had was to protect herself.” 

“Merlin, what part of ‘she  _ killed _ her king’ do you not understand?” 

“I don’t think she did,” Merlin argued. “Everything I’ve seen has been enough to convince me that what she told us earlier was true. King Caspian isn’t dead.” 

Arthur opened his mouth to speak, likely to chastise or disagree with him. Before he could though, they both heard hoofbeats in the distance. There were multiple so it obviously couldn’t be Morgana. However, they didn’t know if the group was friend or foe so they had but one choice. Arthur practically dragged Merlin as he looked for covering. They couldn’t be out in the open, easy to spot, when they passed by. With any luck, the group—of at least twenty riders judging by the sound—would pass them by unnoticed. 

As they drew closer, Merlin was careful to sneak a peek to see who it was. He knew Arthur was doing the same. If they were friendlies, they might be able to help them. There were several foot soldiers, dogs, and riders in the party. As they began to pass their hiding place, Merlin noticed an odd pair of hooves. Horses had four, yet many of the animals that passed only had two. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that most of them didn’t look enough like horses. He glanced at Arthur, both reaching the same conclusion. 

They went to stand, revealing themselves, when the party halted. Arthur signalled for him to wait, likely to confirm it was who they thought, and one of the riders dismounted. Two others approached him and there was a brief discussion between them, though Merlin was too far to make out what was said. The footsteps drew closer and stopped near their hiding place. 

“You can come out,” a familiar voice said, causing a small smile to grace Merlin’s lips. 

Arther and he stood and were greeted with a wonderful sight. The Narnians stood at attention and the Knights stood with them, unharmed. Relief filled their faces and they smiled at the sight of their King. But the reason for Merlin’s smile was the familiar voice. There, standing a few feet from their hiding places, arms crossed, was King Caspian. 


	28. What Happened to Caspian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They discover just how Caspian survived and what he thinks of this mess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry this is so late. I completely spaced that today was Saturday and I was supposed to update. I haven’t edited this chapter because I just wanted to get it out. Let me know if there’s any glaring mistakes.

No one understood what was happening, no one could process what Ana had done. It was so out of character for her that it left everyone reeling. At first they suspected a spell, but had no idea how Morgana would've cast it. A spell was the only logical explanation, especially after she dared to shoot her King. If it wasn't a spell, then Narnia was doomed. If Ana could turn dark, what hope did anyone else have?

When the bandits tried to attack, many of the Narnians were able to break through whatever spell the witch had cast. Given the few bandits, they were taken care of without much help. Most screamed in agony, even though their deaths were quick and painless. They weren't savages or barbarians, to the disbelief of many foreigners. Glenstorm was a bit confused as to how the Knights escaped their bonds to join the fight, but that wasn't the most important question. No, it was the state of their King. He hadn't moved and all hope Glenstorm had of this being a facade was slowly fading away.

Once the bandits were dealt with, both Generals rushed to their King’s side. After being unceremoniously dropped by the bandits he had fallen on his back. The arrow—Ana's arrow— protruded from his chest but at least it wasn't embedded further. Maybe there was some chance he was still alive. With the archer being Ana, that was a very unlikely result. Thaddeus checked if he was alive and he recoiled in surprise, causing Glenstorm to send him a questioning look.

"Is he dead?" he asked, trying to keep his voice as neutral as possible.

"He's alive!" Thaddeus exclaimed. "But how?" His exclamation drew the attention of the others.

They began to press closer but Glenstorm halted them. "Amari!" the centaur shouted. "Come quick!"

Amari, much to the centaur's surprise, was there almost immediately. He didn't have to ask her anything as she quickly moved to the King's side. Thaddeus moved out of the way as Amari did her work. She examined the arrow carefully, eyes only widening marginally, before pressing her hands close to the wound. She carefully inspected the site of entry and then broke the shaft of the arrow to make transporting him easier and less likely to jar the arrow. That simple action caused the King to flinch, but he did not wake.

"We need to get him inside quickly and carefully. Try not to jostle him," she instructed the generals. "I need to see how severe the damage is."

The generals didn't argue and simply commanded several men to help move the King inside. After ensuring that she didn't need anymore help, they left Amari alone to tinker. They stood guard outside as the bodies of the bandits were moved and the others were inspected for injuries. It appeared they had only sustained minor injuries while the bandits were all dead or dying.

After barely an hour, Amari appeared. "The King will live," she announced as soon as she was outside. "He was lucky."

"It wasn't luck," Thaddeus said.

"No... I suppose not," Amari agreed. "It would take a very skilled archer to miss everything vital yet still make a convincing shot. Most archers would hit part of the lungs or heart, if not pierce them. This archer missed both along with veins, arteries, and nerves. He has minor muscle damage and some deep tissue damage, but they should heal fine with the proper rest. The arrow head was lodged in one of his ribs, resulting in some broken and cracked ribs. If they had aimed just a little higher or lower, they would've pierced a vital organ and there would be nothing I could do to save him."

Thaddeus looked relieved. Glenstorm held relief in his eyes, but there was a frown on his face when he made eye contact with the other general. There was no question exchanged between the two as they already knew what was on the other's mind.

"She missed on purpose," Glenstorm finally surmised.

"But why?" Thaddeus asked.

"I'm sure the King can answer that..." Amari said. "Pulling out the arrowhead woke him up. I gave him something for the pain and stitched him up. He was pretending to sleep when I came out here. But you can speak with him." The two generals exchanged a smile before Thaddeus made to step inside. "Make sure he keeps his activity to a minimum. He can make his injury worse."

Thaddeus entered the tent only to find his King sitting up on the makeshift cot putting his shirt back on. He had wasted no time.

"What are you doing?" the General asked.

"We need to find Ana. I will not stay here while she's out there," the King argued.

"She shot you..." Thaddeus pointed out.

"If she planned to embed herself with the enemy, she had to make it look convincing," Caspian answered.

"I don't understand..." Thaddeus frowned and Amari chose that moment to enter the tent.

"Sire!" she chided, as Glenstorm also poked his head in.

"I couldn't help but overhear..." the centaur general said. "What exactly is Ana's plan?"

"I don't know, but I know she's planning something," Caspian told them. "I tested her loyalties earlier. If Ana was truly evil—be the result of a spell or whatnot—she would go against Aslan. What did she say when I mentioned Him?"

"She said 'Aslan told me my loyalties are misguided,'" the centaur answered. "So she's still trusting Aslan?"

"Without giving away her loyalties, it's probably the best answer Ana could give. We have to trust that whatever she's doing it's all part of His plan."

"She shot you!" Thaddeus argued again and Glenstorm nodded in agreement.

"I gave her permission... With Reepicheep's help, I was able to figure out Ana's plan. I knew Morgana would test her loyalties and she would use me to do so. Ana knew it too. So shortly before she fired, I gave her a subtle nod telling her it was okay. None of you could see her face, but I could. While her expression was neutral, her eyes told me the guilt she felt at her actions. She's pretending..."

"Then you best find her soon," Amari piped up. She was rebandaging his wound and Caspian had been using conversation as a distraction for his pain. "She's weak and not in good health. Ana may be able to pretend for awhile, but eventually her injuries will catch up to her. If you don't find her by the time they do, it will leave her defenseless amongst her enemies."

"How long?" Caspian asked, worried.

"It's hard to say with her... Depends on if she can get treatment or not. Without any treatment, she'll start to notice it within a few hours of her pain medication wearing off. I don't know how long she'll be able to fake it after that. With treatment... I'd say no more than two days."

"Then we must leave at once," Caspian said, making to stand but was halted by the pain in his chest.

"Sire," Amari warned. "You cannot possibly travel in this condition."

"I would agree," Glenstorm protested.

"And what do you think will happen if Ana doesn't see me amongst our party?" Caspian argued.

"She'll trust us," Thaddeus supplied. "She knows we wouldn't lie to her."

"Would she?" Caspian questioned with a glance at Amari.

The physician sighed. "His majesty is right in his assumption. If Ana is of sound mind, she'll believe you're telling the truth. But if the pain ends up being too much only His Majesty’s presence may persuade her."

"If she thinks I'm dead—"

"Ana will think we're there to kill her," Glenstorm concluded. "Very well... But absolutely no fighting."

Caspian gave him a look, but the General wasn't concerned that he had given his King an order. After looking at Amari for her help—and receiving none—Caspian reluctantly agreed. They did help him outside so the men could see they weren't lying about his condition. But after situationing him on a log, both generals left him with Amari, who refused to let him do any kind of physical activity. He wasn't even allowed to explain the situation to his men. Glenstorm and Thaddeus would see to it, but most were just relieved to see him alive. Hopefully, they were able to determine that Ana didn't mean him any harm.

His gaze found Reepicheep, talking with his mice men. He was able to put together that Reepicheep—or his men—freed the restrained Narnians, Telmarines, and Knights. At that thought, his eyes wandered over to Arthur's men. They were gathered in a circle talking in hushed voices. Leon would glance in his direction on occasion and when they made eye contact, he approached.

"Are you alright?" the knight asked.

"Superficial," Caspian told him. "I will be fine."

Leon nodded, seeming unconvinced, but decided not to press. "If you're heading after the witch, we're coming too. She plans to kill Arthur and we will not stand by and let that happen."

"If Ana is with them, I guarantee he's still alive," Caspian said.

"But she—" Leon began but Caspian cut him off before he could finish.

"If she wanted me dead, I would be. She killed a man fighting amongst two others and you honestly think Ana can't make a kill shot on a stationary target only a few feet away?"

Leon looked embarrassed. "We honestly didn't know what to think."

"I don't know what exactly her plan is, but Ana wouldn't have shot without confirmation from me. I didn't like it, but I soon figured out that she would need to prove her loyalty. So before she shot, I let her know that it would be okay." Leon seemed to accept that but Caspian read uneasiness about him. He didn't trust that Ana meant no harm. "We'll be heading after them soon," he told the knight instead.

The Knight nodded and rejoined the others, presumably explaining the situation to them. A few glanced in his direction, which confirmed his thoughts. He looked away so he wouldn't appear to be prying, and found Thaddeus guiding his horse over. Caspian frowned at the action, knowing he was perfectly capable of walking. It would be more difficult mounting the horse than walking to it. But if Ana could do it, he could push through the pain too.

"Sire," Thaddeus said once he reached him. "Some of the men are worried. How exactly are we going to find their trail?"

Caspian stood and reached for his horse's reins. "What do you mean?"

"Well, they found your last trail because of Ana and some luck... But Ana is our best tracker and if she's pretending to be with the enemy, then wouldn't she cover their tracks?"

"I'd imagine so," he answered, unsure of the issue. "But I also believe that she would leave a trail only someone who knows her best could find. And if she didn't, then may Aslan be our guide."

Thaddeus nodded in understanding and Caspian mounted his horse. He thought he did a good job of pretending he wasn't injured and looked at Thaddeus. The general nodded and another Telmarine gave him his sword. Then as soon as the others mounted, the company was off. They had a witch, a King, and two magical friends to find.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

After catching up with Arthur and Merlin, the small company made their way back to the camp. With Arthur's help they were able to get there rather quickly, to Caspian's relief. He wouldn't have to spend anymore days tracking down where Ana went. It had already taken them two days to catch up to them around. This was mostly due to suddenly losing any sense of direction. They lost the trail they had been following and had spent hours trying to track it down.

Eventually, Caspian was forced to call his men to halt and they all finally got a decent night's sleep—even though it was still daylight. They couldn’t have traveled by night and it would’ve been upon them soon. So they were forced to settle until a new trail could be found.

When they looked for the trail in the morning, they spotted the remnants of a camp that had most definitely not been there before. Caspian assumed the camp was concealed by magic to leave them chasing their tails. But finding the camp allowed them to pick up the trail again and one of the Narnians confirmed his suspicions. He explained that Morgana must've used some concealment spell. Given the remains they were able to determine that they were several hours behind—the group must’ve traveled during the night.

They wasted no time trying to catch up to them. Just when Caspian started to lose hope, one of the dogs picked up a familiar scent. At first they thought it was Morgana but after a discussion with Thaddeus and a scout, they determined that wasn’t the case. There was only a few that they would’ve recognized otherwise and Caspian held out hope. He was only slightly disappointed to find that Ana wasn’t with Arthur and Merlin.

After a brief discussion, Arthur agreed to led them back to the camp. Unfortunately, they weren't able to pick up the pace—Glenstorm refused to push the company any faster than what he thought Caspian was capable of—and they were forced to stop when it grew dark again. The pain was getting difficult and he knew he needed to rest. But this was nothing compared to the pain Ana must've felt. Still, when the general offered him something for the pain—which he must've got from Amari—he took it without comment. None of the men made mention of it either, though Thaddeus did try to keep it subtle.

Those two nights put the further away from Ana and Caspian refused to wait longer than necessary. He got both Generals to relent and the company was aroused in the early morning. It still took them several hours to find the camp.

As they drew closer to where Arthur and Merlin had last seen Morgana, they employed the same tactic they did when attacking the bandit camp. A majority of the Narnians moved to surround the outskirts as the humans crept closer. King Arthur and his men had once again joined them, but Caspian knew it was because they wanted to end things with their enemy once in for all. He briefly wondered if Ana was included in that but pushed the thought aside as they reached the edges of the camp.

Instead of continuing on, Caspian was forced to wait with General Glenstorm as Thaddeus took his place. This was for two reasons but the main one was because he was injured and had promised not to fight. The second one was because as long as Morgana thought him dead, then perhaps Ana was alive. If she suspected Ana of being her enemy, it would have disastrous consequences. So they kept that information to themselves for now.

As the others began to step into the camp, there was the sound of loud coughing a couple leagues ahead of them. They were wet, harsh coughs and they sounded quite painful. While they were further away from the campsite they were about to attack, Caspian already suspected it would be empty based on what Arthur told him had occurred. If a fight broke out so they could escape, it was likey Morgana—and Ana—would quickly abandon the camp. Especially after discovering their prisoners were gone.

Caspian saw Arthur and Merlin exchange a look and he wondered what it meant. The person coughed again and whispers were exchanged between the men. As they prepared to enter the camp, the King relaxed his posture. It demonstrated two things: his confidence and his lack of worry for a fight. Arthur took two steps and suddenly a loud roar echoed through the clearing, causing many to stumble back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before anyone decides that Caspian’s injury is illogical... 
> 
> 1) In the process of writing this, a nurse was consulted. It would be impossible for them to have not been injured. But they assured me if they person was skilled, they could survive with minor injuries. So I had the arrow become imbedded in his ribs, therefore preventing it from touching in vital organs. It would break them though.  
2) This is fantasy and Ana is suffering way worse. In reality Caspian should rest his injury but he’s toughening it out.


	29. One Last Stand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There’s one last thing they must do before Ana can be saved.

At the sound of the roar, Merlin found himself jumping out of his skin. Arthur and the others must've also been startled as practically everyone stumbled back a few steps. Only a few of the Narnians remained unmoved by the sound. Even General Thaddeus had stepped back in shock, and Merlin risked a glance back at King Caspian. While it didn't appear he had moved, shock was visible on his face. It slowly relaxed and Merlin could swear he was smiling a bit.

"What was that?" Merlin heard Elyan whispered.

"It sounded like a lion," Gwaine answered, quietly for once.

"Don't be silly!" Leon lectured. "This is not the place for lions."

"On the contrary," Thaddeus intejected, "lions have been spotted in these woods before. It's not uncommon."

Shaking off the shock, Thaddeus stepped towards the clearing and the rest of the Telmarines followed. It took Arthur and the Knights an extra minute, but they eventually pressed forward as well. As they stepped into the clearing, it was much like Merlin suspected. Supplies were scattered a bit around the camp from the bandits' attack. Close to a dozen men were also thrown about the camp, some with arrows in their chest. They were all likely dead, but the others would probably confirm that. However, neither Morgana nor Ana were present. There was no trace as to where they had gone either.

As Thaddeus' men moved towards the bandits, rustling could be heard in the foliage. They all stopped and drew their swords, some taking a step back if they were close to the sound. Everyone was on edge as the sound grew louder and Merlin felt his magic rise up. It told him exactly who was coming towards them.

No sooner had that thought been processed than Morgana came stumbling backwards from the trees. Her back was to them so Merlin couldn't see her face, but her posture and breathing both indicated fear. It was strange to see any indication of such an emotion coming from her. Morgana always radiated anger, ferocity, confidence, and control. She turned slowly towards them, as if still waiting for a threat. Whatever she saw, she wasn't sure she could defeat it.

Merlin watched her carefully and could pinpoint the exact moment she realized she had an audience. Her face darkened to hide any indication of fear. By the time she was facing him, one wouldn't have even recognized the two. Morgana had changed her expression and posture in a matter of seconds and he briefly wondered if anyone else had noticed her fear.

"Well, well, well," Morgana said. "You just couldn't stay away, could you Arthur? Such a shame... You might've actually lived to see Camelot again."

"Morgana," Arthur said, voice stern. It was his royal voice and Merlin knew he was no longer trying to bargain with her. "Surrender now and I might spare you. If you don't we will have no choice but to kill you."

Morgana chuckled—no chortled—at the thought. "Spare me? Please. I know what the punishment for magic is in Camelot."

"But we were family," Arthur noted.

"Oferswinge!" Morgana hissed as she outstretched her hand. With a flash of her eyes Thaddeus and his men were tossed aside, giving her a better view of Arthur. "Hine fordo" she shouted as her eyes flashed gold.

Merlin was unable to counter her attack and he saw Arthur brace himself. But nothing happened and Morgana's brow furrowed slightly. She repeated her actions, and again nothing happened. It was as if her magic had been cursed, like Merlin had done when she took the throne and tried to kill Arthur last year. But he had cast no such spell on her and knew this was not his doing. But someone—or something—was preventing her from attacking.

Realizing her magic wasn't working, the others went to move in but Morgana shouted a spell at them and they were blown back. Many collapsed unconscious to the ground and she smirked at Arthur. She tried the spell a fourth time but again it didn't work. Merlin's previous assumption was wrong. Whatever was stopping Morgana, wasn't blocking her magic. It was simply protecting Arthur. She could still hurt the others. But whether she realized this or not, it didn't matter. After concluding that she could not physically harm Arthur—and therefore defeating the purpose of her attack—Morgana screamed in rage. Everyone standing, except Arthur, was thrown off their feet.

"Bedyrene me! Astyre me thanonweard," Morgana shouted. With a swirl of wind and clouds, Morgana disappeared. Everyone clambered to their feet.

"Is she gone?" someone asked and several men began talking at once. There was a quiet, near faint, rustling and King Caspian appeared.

"What happened?" he asked no one in particular.

Arthur, recovering from the shock of the event, answered: "Morgana vanished..."

"Vanished? She just disappeared?"

"She tried to attack me," Arthur told him, "but was unable to... She disappeared shortly after realizing this."

"You were protected?" Caspain asked.

"Yeah," Gwaine interrupted, grumbling. "While the rest of us weren't. That's a bit unfair." He cocked his head in the direction of the unconscious men being carried off.

While Arthur turned to chide him, King Caspian crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. Arthur might've been displeased with Gwaine's commentary but the foreign King seemed more amused than annoyed at the interruption. He looked at Arthur with a smile on his face.

"Who do you think it was?" and Merlin couldn't tell if he was asking because he knew or was merely curious. His eyes did scan the clearing for a brief moment afterwards.

"I think it was... maybe... Ana," Arthur stated slowly. At the King's confused face, Arthur elaborated. "Well, not her personally. She gave me something. After she shot you, I wasn't sure I could trust her. But she did prevent Morgana from killing me earlier and convinced her not to torture me as well. She also provided us with the means to escape and more or less signalled for us when it was time to leave. But when she gave me the dagger, she offered me something else as well. Ana said she hoped it would protect me and before I really had time to process her request, she placed it in my pocket." Here, Arthur reached a hand into his pocket and withdrew the item. "I had forgotten about it until just now..."

He opened up his palm to reveal a piece of jewelry. It was a simple chain and only had one charm in the shape of a phoenix. It was dirty, as if it had been left in the dirt and that striked Merlin as odd. Ana didn't seem like the person to let something like that end up that way. He could sense the magic coming from it, and while it didn't seem powerful it was enough for him to notice it. It was likely Ana sensed it too. He watched the two Kings carefully and noticed how Caspian went from shocked to resigned and then sad.

"That's Ana's necklace... It's very rare to see her without it. I think it belonged to her mother—who she never met—or something as she's never without it. Most of the time she keeps it hidden. The only time I saw her without it was after she discarded it to leave a trail for us. She left it behind since we knew she would never part with it willingly... And now she's given it to you," the King said.

"How sweet... A magical necklace," one Telmarine mentioned as he passed. His tone was rather mocking, but he only received a stern glare from his King. Merlin found the whole exchange strange.

"If you don't mind me asking..." Arthur stated rather hesitantly, handing King Caspian the necklace. "What happened to her parents, to her? She mentioned some things about her past and I'm curious as to how much was a bluff for Morgana's sake and how much is true."

The dark-haired King paused for a moment, eyes scanning through the clearing once more. Merlin thought he would ask Arthur the specifics but instead he said: "I don't actually know that much. She says very little about her past. But I will tell you what I know as we search for her. If you're coming."

To Merlin's surprise, Arthur nodded. "I have a question I would like to ask her in person." Caspain sent Arthur a questioning look but he only smiled in return, indicating that he wished to keep it between him and Ana. 

As they went to rejoin Caspian's men, they heard rustling from behind them. Every man in the camp turned, hands going to their weapons. Some drew their swords while others waited to see if it was a threat. Moments later, two young girls burst through the trees. One had dark hair and dark skin while the other was more pale complexed with blue eyes and brown hair. They were followed shortly by Enoch and Halwende, all out of breath. The two girls looked around, frowning as the two Telmarines approached their King.

"My apologies, Sire," Enoch said through his breaths. "They just took off and we couldn't convince them to come back and while they did stop, we couldn't force them back either. They said something about Ana."

"What about her?" Caspian asked, concerned.

"That she was in danger..." Halwende explained. "How they knew..."

"Magic," Caspian answered for him. "Those are two of the girls with magic... Kaitlynn—I think I heard Ana say her name at some point—is her name." He pointed to the dark skinned girl. He then approached her, cautious that she might be wary of him. Merlin, too curious for his own good, strained to hear what was being said. "You said Ana was in danger?"

The girl was startled that the King was talking to her. "Y-yes... Your Majesty. I don't know how but Aileen and I got the sudden feeling that she was in trouble. We've been trying to catch up with you. Where is she?"

"She's not here," Caspian told them. "How do you know she is in trouble? Your magic?"

She shook her head no. "It wasn't our magic... There was a voice. It told us that we needed to find Ana. Some of the others heard it too, but they were too afraid to come. We decided to listen to it because Ana... because she gave us hope when we had none. Before she was put in..." her she paused, unable to say it.

"The room?" Caspian said instead and she nodded.

"She was with us. No matter how rough the guards treated her, cursed her, beat her, or whatever else she would not submit. And when we were alone... Ana told us that help was coming—that you were coming. She told us not to give up... Even though she was only with us for a short time, she was able to do more for us than any other prisoner he brought. And it turns out she was right. You did come. You saved her and all of us..."

"It was a group effort," Caspian admitted.

"That doesn't matter. It was the fact that she knew you were coming. For her. A King was coming to rescue his people..."

Caspian looked at the ground, ashamed. "I had no idea some of my people were being sold just across the border. If I had known..."

The girl simply smiled. "We believe you would've sent help sooner. That's why we're here. To repay Ana and you..."

"She was lucky," the other girl finally spoke. "The three of us were. But the others... They've lost their will because of what he makes them do."

"You don't have to talk about it," Caspian assured them and they nodded.

"Maybe someday," Kaitlynn said, "but not today."

King Caspian smiled softly and left them alone to talk with the others. After a brief discussion that Merlin didn't eavesdrop on, the group headed out in the direction Morgana had come. It was easy to tell that some of them were leery to do so, even the Knights.

"Something scared her into such a fright," Gwaine spoke up, indicating that someone else had seen Morgana's fear. "Are we sure we should be going this way?"

"Ana was last seen with Morgana. This is the direction she came from, so if we wish to find Ana, this is our best bet," Arthur responded harshly.

"I'm just saying... If it was enough to frighten her maybe it isn't in our best interest to continue on this path," Gwaine continued. Arthur sent him a look and he held up his hands in surrender. With a smile he said: "Alright. Got it. We're rescuing the damsel. Again."

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

Once Arthur and Merlin had run off, Ana knew she had to shift suspicious off herself or she would be in danger. It was lucky Merlin had to use his magic to break the ropes. Maybe she could play it off that someone had helped them. But they had to finish this fight while also dragging it out long enough for the two to get away. She shot one of the bandits, drawing some attention to her. In order to avoid hurting herself any more, Ana didn't allow the bandits time to retaliate.

Morgana dispatched the majority of the bandits and Ana finished off the other three. Then silence grew and Ana stayed quiet as Morgana seethed. She knew better than to talk to an angry witch. It wouldn't end well for her. But she also knew that Morgana was about to get a lot more angry. With Arthur gone and the bandits dead, there was no one to take Morgana's rage. Except for her, that is. 

So Ana chose not to mention their disappearance and allow Morgana to figure it out for herself. She took a few breaths and pretended to calm down—which wasn't too difficult to fake since it had been an intense moment. When she looked up Morgana was watching her, but she said nothing as her eyes scanned the clearing. Ana prepared herself for the next outbursts and tried to look surprised.

"What?!" Morgana screamed, moving past her and to the tree where Arthur was supposed to be restrained. "That's not possible! What did you do?" Morgana whirled on her and before Ana had a chance to protest, the witch's eyes flashed and Ana felt a tightening around her throat.

"P—p—please," Ana choked out, trying to resist the urge to remove the force. She knew it was pointless. "It wasn't me."

"Lies! He was right about you!"

"No... Look... Please," Ana struggled, trying to save her life. She wasn't above begging but she figured it would be of little use.

For whatever reason, Morgana stopped and Ana collapsed on her hands and knees. She breathed in the air her lungs so desperately needed and then began to have another coughing fit. It was so bad that she couldn't support herself anymore and found herself with a face full of dirt. She rolled onto her side, one hand wrapping around her middle, and tried to breath through the coughs. Ana felt something soothing spread through her body and the coughs eased. She laid there for an extra moment until they dissipated completely. Then she risked a glance at Morgana.

"You're not well," she said with a frown.

Ana pointed back towards the tree, redirecting Morgana's attention. "The ropes," Ana whispered, not trusting her voice to be anything more. "They're too smooth to have been cut."

Morgana turned and knelt next to the ropes. She examined the ends. "You're right... It must've been magic!" she hissed. "Emrys!"

"Emrys?" Ana choked.

"He's always thwarting my plans. I must've just missed him!"

"He has magic?" Ana asked, finally sitting up. "I can find him..." Though Ana knew exactly who she was looking for, she had no intention of revealing Merlin to her.

"How?" Morgana questioned, still suspicious.

"I can sense magic," she answered. "Can you not?" It was still true. Her magic certainly helped, but she didn't have to rely on it. "It's something I've always been able to do."

"Show me," Morgana hissed. Ana wasn't sure if it was because she didn't trust her or she was angry at Emrys.

Ana gathered herself off the ground and dusted herself off. She glanced around the clearing and paused for a moment. Closing her eyes, she let herself feel her surroundings. Morgana's magic stood out in contrast to the magic surrounding her. It was so dark and bitter. Angry. Had she had her magic, Ana might've gotten sick from it. But she focused her attention past it, looking for something else. There was light, powerful magic nearby but moving further away with every step. She knew it was Merlin's and couldn't lead Morgana in that direction. But just then another, even more powerful source appeared. It brought a wave of calmness to Ana and she opened her eyes.

"This way," Ana said, heading in the direction of the second source.

"Are you sure it's him?" Morgana frowned.

"It's someone with powerful magic... I'd assume it was him," Ana answered, trying to be as truthful as possible. Morgana seemed satisfied and the two headed off, abandoning the clearing.

With each step they took, Ana could feel the effects of the magic used on her waning. When they faded, she would be worse than before. She also knew it was Morgana's magic and Ana struggled with what to think of that. Why had Morgana stopped choking her and why did she try to help her? Especially so soon after rightfully blaming her for Arthur and Merlin's escape. She shook her head and focused on the source of magic. It had to be Aslan and that's where she was going. She didn't really care that Morgana tagged along because with Aslan, Ana was safe. Everything would finally end.

* * *

**Spells**

***Oferswinge!** from _The Coming of Arthur: Part 2 (3x12)_ meaning "Strike!" 

~ could also be spelled **Oferswing**

****Hine fordo**! from _Arthur's Bane: Part 2 (5x02)_ meaning "Kill him!"

~ No alternative spelling available

*****Bedyrene us! Astyre us thanonweard** from _The Fires of Idirsholas (2x12)_ meaning "Conceal us! Guide us away from here!"

~ could also be spelled **Bedyrne ús! Astýre ús þanonweard!**

~ This is actually the correct spell. I simply changed the "us" in Morgana's statement to "me" and while the translation means the same, I'm only putting the original.


	30. The Light Goes Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ana reaches the end of her rope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I forgot to update and sorry that this chapter is much shorter than the previous ones.

As night fell, Ana felt it. Her energy was waning more and more with each step. She stopped by a tree as her cough acted up again. It hurt to breathe, much less cough, and her throat was starting to hurt from all the coughing. Though she knew it was serious, she had no idea what the cause of it was. None of the symptoms she could think of would explain the cough.

She felt more than heard Morgana stop nearby. When her coughing abated, she risked a glance at her and noticed—to Ana's surprise—a touch of concern on her face. However, she didn't mention it but rather pretended not to notice. Ana wasn't sure what to make of Morgana's actions. She didn't seem the type to actually care about anyone other than herself. Especially with how she treated Arthur who hadn't personally done anything to her.

"I think we'll stop for the night," Morgana said, face hardening.

"I can keep going," Ana protested.

"Not until you explain just what is wrong with you," Morgana stated.

"I don't know," she said, but didn't wish to lie so she elaborated. "What I said earlier... Boyd and his men were less than kind. Then they sold me off to a..." she couldn't say man because he most certainly wasn't. "... to someone even worse than them. I have injuries I haven't fully recovered from. But I can handle those. I don't know why I'm coughing."

"They hurt you because of your magic?"

"They hurt me because they're cruel and they get off on the suffering of others. Hurting those weaker than them makes them feel powerful but it only proves cowardice."

Morgana ignored most of it. "A goodnight's sleep and a healing spell should help you."

"Did you give me one earlier?" Ana questioned and at Morgana's nod, she frowned. "I told you earlier that my magic doesn't react well to others' magic. Sometimes it backfires. In this case, the use of it seems to have made it worse." While it was true her magic was tricky, without it she shouldn't have issues. But Ana refused to become reliant on Morgana's magic, especially when she wasn't sure she trusted her.

"Then find a way to shut your coughing up," Morgana hissed. "We can't be discreet with you giving us away every step of the way."

"Then leave me," Ana said.

"So you can go crawling back to your friends?" She said the last word mockingly, knowing she had none left.

"I can barely stand, much less think about going back," Ana said, ignoring the jibe. "I'm only slowing you down. You know I'm right. I won't be going anywhere fast. If you really distrust me that much, you can kill me now. I won't fight back. But if you think I'm telling the truth, I shouldn't be too far should you return."

"We'll camp here for the night," Morgana said stubbornly and Ana didn't argue any more.

She did her best to walk without limping or showing any other visible signs of her injuries. Ana knew she was in trouble and that Morgana might just kill her so that she wouldn't have to bother her. She was starting to become a loose end for Morgana, bringing about more trouble than she was worth. She couldn't even use her magic! What if Morgan asked her to show it to her? Then where would she be? Dead, that's where, her mind unhelpfully supplied. But she had to hope that there was something more to this. Aslan had wanted her to side with Morgana and she was determined to find out why.

As she sat by the magically made fire, Ana began to wonder if the sole purpose of her going with Morgana was to protect Arthur. It was clear the witch wanted him dead but surely there must've been a different reason for her to betray her friends like that—if Caspian wasn't alive they'd soon be looking for her head. There must've been an easier way for her to save Arthur's life than to go with Morgana. So then, what was her part in all of this? Several times she tried asking the lion, but all she got was silence in response.

Ana watched Morgana doze off and tried to get some sleep herself. Aslan knew she needed it. But her body wouldn't allow her to sleep. Her ribs made it difficult to find a comfortable position on the hard ground. Laying on her back hurt the injuries inflicted by the whip and laying on her stomach was out of the question. Her shoulder didn't help things either and she was fighting a major headache brought on by the lack of sleep and the toll her body had taken. She shouldn't be moving. But even if she managed to find a comfortable position, it wouldn't last long. Coughs would rack her body and no matter what she did, she couldn't stop. She wondered how Morgana slept through them, if she even did.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

With the break of dawn, Morgana was on her feet in a flash. Ana, while awake long before, had much more difficulty making it to her feet. She wobbled for a moment, but managed to keep her balance. However, Ana knew she'd be no use to Morgana. All of her strength was practically gone and she could barely walk. Not to mention every step she took made her colder. She thought she had started shivering but assumed Morgana would've mentioned something about it.

When they finally reached the road, Ana found support from the nearest tree. It wasn't much further from where they had stopped the previous day and Morgana turned to her with a frown.

"What's the matter with you?" she huffed, clearly angry about the delay.

"I can't go on," Ana gasped. "I'm sorry, Morgana. I've tried. I pushed myself to my limits and now it's catching up to me. You're going to have to go the rest of the way on your own."

Morgana's frown deepened. "Fine," she said and Ana half expected her to strike her down. "Which way did he go?" She blinked, surprised she was still alive. But perhaps Morgana would wait until she had what she needed.

"The magic is..." Ana frowned, glancing around. "It's moved. There are two sources... Both are in that direction." She pointed back the way they had come. "But how? Why did they move? How did I miss them?"

"Two sources?" Morgana frowned. "Are you lying to me?!"

"No!" Ana stated. She had lied earlier when she led her this way in the first place, but she didn't have the energy to even do that anymore. "One is more powerful than the other and that one is closer. But the other one... it's moving towards us. It must've been too far away for me to notice it earlier." Okay, so maybe she could do one last one.

Morgana nodded and then her eyes flashed gold as she muttered a spell. "Scieppan sewenlic simble besettan me." Ana was surprised to find herself unharmed from the spell but tried to keep it off her face. "Just in case you have any ideas about finding your friends... I'll be the only one to find you."

Then with that, Morgana turned on her heel and walked back the way she came. Ana watched her go, not bothering to say anything else. She knew it would be pointless. It seemed Morgana trusted her enough to kill the bandits, but not enough to leave her alone. Even when she could go nowhere on her own.

As Morgana disappeared out of sight, Ana felt all her strength leave her. She leaned heavily against a tree by the side of the road, unable to stand without help much less take another step. Coughs racked her body again and she wrapped one arm around her middle. She was in agony. The injuries to her ribs were made worse by her coughing. She couldn't catch her breath at times. Desperate for some relief, she tried to take another step, but found her legs could no longer support her. Ana fell into the tree and knew it wouldn't be much longer before she collapsed to the ground. She had pushed herself too far and it was too much. In this state, she couldn't get to Aslan. Her only hope was for Aslan to come to her.

"Please, Aslan," she said, voice catching. "It hurts. I just want the pain to end."

"Soon," a voice replied.

"I—I can't." It was clear she was holding back tears. "It's too much. I can't do it anymore. Please Aslan."

"Soon," the voice purred again.

"Can I come home?" she pleaded. "This world... it's taken the last of my light."

"Soon, my child."

With a strangled cry, Ana fell to her knees. Everything was just too much. The pain, the trauma, her past actions, and everything she tried to bury made its way to the surface. It was overwhelming and it brought her to her knees. Please, she begged. What more must I do? But she received no reply. She felt weak and alone, even though Aslan's presence was near. There was no strength left in her to even crawl towards Him, towards His light. She had so little left.

It was in that moment that Ana realized she was crying. It had been too much. This world had tried taking everything from her, but she had refused to let it put out her light or steal her joy. But now, lying alone on the side of the road, what did she have for her efforts? The others wouldn't be able to find her, not with the cloaking spell Morgana placed on her. To Ana it truly felt like she had been robbed of what little she had left. Her light, her fire, her life was gone. The phoenix had lost its flame, its fight.

As Aslan's presence pressed closer, Ana fell into unawareness. She could only hope that when she woke, things would be different. That she would be in a world free of pain and suffering. A world that had nothing but joy and laughter. Someplace where she'd finally be home. Aslan had promised soon and that's what she would wait for.

* * *

**Spells**: 

***Scieppan sewenlic simble besettan me** from the translator meaning "Make visible only to me"


	31. Light is More Powerful than Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone is reunited but it’s still a long way to recovery

The group didn't travel far from the campsite. It was clear that after Merlin and Arthur fled, Morgana and Ana didn't go much further. But for whatever reason, they had moved further away from him and Arthur which also meant, consequently, Caspian's army that was pushing towards them. Merlin wondered what caused them to go in the opposite direction. Morgana had to have known they would've ran back the direction they came.

That being said, less than an hour later things took a strange turn. They had been following Morgana's trail that she had carelessly left, but all signs of it were now gone. The company came to a halt and scouts moved to see if they could pick up a trail. Caspian sat anxiously, wanting to know Ana's fate. She wasn't with Morgana in the clearing, nor was she among the bodies. Why would Morgana take her away just to kill her? It made no sense.

"This is where they stopped," one of the scouts announced upon his return. "There's a camp a little ways into the woods, off the path. But nothing else."

"She can't have just disappeared," Caspian pressed. "The others might find something."

They waited for the others to return, but each reported the same thing. There was no trail to find. Any trace of Ana just vanished and Merlin frowned. Yes it was possible Morgana used magic to hide the trail, but then why not hide all of it? Why lead them to a dead end instead of giving them no lead at all?

"She could've hid it," a Telmarine offered, thinking along the same track as Merlin. But the scouts and both Generals shook their heads in disagreement.

"We've been following three sets of tracks," Thaddeus said. "Two were going in this direction. One of them had a strange gait, as if walking with a foot or leg injury."

"Ana," Arthur stated. "She didn't look good in that regard when we left. I could tell she tried to hide it but standing was painful."

"The second person's tracks lead back the way we came—the third set. But all start and end in the same places," the general stated.

"Why would she hide those tracks, but not bother to hide these?" Glenstorm added. "In the clearing she didn't really have a chance, but here... There's no logical reason."

"So maybe they didn't leave..." the same Telmarine said.

"We know Morgana did. Which just begs the question... Why do two sets of footprints lead here but only one set leads away?" the scout offered.

"It's obvious," the Telmarine stated, "the girl is dead. The witch buried her."

"Buried her where Arilan?" the King spoke for the first time in a while. "The scouts have confirmed that other than the camp a few feet that way, there's no trace of them."

"She's buried at the camp," he said and Merlin got the suspicion he didn't care if she was alive.

"No," a scout said. "Both sets of footprints leave the camp and come back here. But wait..." he glanced at the dirt and kneeled down beside it. "There's slight drag marks... Not from someone dragging a body but rather from someone dragging themselves across the ground. You wouldn't see impressions from hands and feet if they were dragged..."

"Where do they lead?" King Caspian asked, hope in his voice.

"Not far..." the scout said, approaching a nearby tree. "They stop where there's no place to hide. They just vanish... Like the rest of the tracks."

"People don't just vanish," their King said.

"They do with magic," Arilan grumbled.

Before anyone could reprimand him or say anything else, a strong breeze blew through. Merlin could tell there was magic in it and if it wasn't for the calmness that it brought, he would've searched for the source. He didn't feel the need. Several Narnians seemed to notice it too as they immediately began glancing around. After the last magical breeze, no one else commented on their behavior. They probably suspected another attack.

But just as suddenly as it began, it stopped. All the men paused for a moment, waiting for another attack. When nothing else happened, Merlin looked back at the tree and nearly laughed in shock. There, by the tree and just meters from the scout's feet, lay Ana. Ana who had been invisible just before the breeze and was now there for all to see. But she didn't look good. She looked like death itself and Merlin worried they were too late.

He didn't have to say anything as the scout and several others noticed her strange reappearance. The King and the General were off their horses in a flash as Glenstorm sent people to retrieve a stretcher. As they rushed to Ana's side, Merlin jumped from his horse. He wanted to wait to be summoned, but he also knew he needed to figure out if she could even be moved. So he pressed forward slowly and when no one stopped him, he continued to her side and quickly began to check if she was alive.

"She's alive," he said almost immediately and he could hear the sighs of relief. "I'll need to remove her armor to see if she has anymore injuries."

The King nodded and they carefully removed both Ana's weapons and armor without jostling her. He even removed her vambrace which allowed him to see that her wrists had gotten worse. Probably from wearing the guard so long, using it to hide her injury.

"Her ribs are worse," Merlin concluded. "We'll need to bind them before we move her. Otherwise we risk causing internal bleeding during transport."

"Do what you must," the King told him as Thaddeus moved to order everyone back.

"I'd have to..." Merlin hesitantly stated. Thankfully the King caught on.

"Wrap them over her clothes," he told him. "I know it's not as good, but I'm not doing anything else with a bunch of men present."

Merlin nodded and began to work, with some help from the King. Glenstorm was sent to fetch Amari—who was at least a day behind and taking care of other injured soldiers—and the rest of the group shuffled awkwardly, unsure what to do. The men from earlier returned with a stretcher and they secured Ana to it. With her ribs and other injuries, this was the best way to carry her and not cause her anymore pain. Throughout the whole process, Ana never stirred or showed any indication that she recognized anyone's presence. It was very concerning. The stretcher was secured to two horses and the company headed back, hoping to meet Amari in the middle. As they made their way back, no one made a sound.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

Amari couldn't come quick enough. It had taken her longer than anyone had wanted, but they didn't have a choice. Since she was forced to stay back, it took her awhile to catch up. And since Ana's condition had left them so concerned about moving her far, Amari was forced to come to them. In the meantime, Merlin had offered to treat her as best as possible.

A fire was set up and Caspian anxiously paced a few feet from Ana's unconscious figure. She hadn't stirred once and it was hard to make out that she was still breathing. But Merlin's movements confirmed that she was still alive. For now. He wasn't a fool. Ana's injuries were severe enough that she could easily pass and that scared him more than anything. He was anxious as to whether Amari would be able to save her. It also infuriated him that Ana had been left on the side of the road to die. Morgana didn't even have the decency to move her off the beaten path.

When Amari arrived, the rest of the captives seemed to follow. He raised an eyebrow about it—wondering when they had come back—but made no comment on it. As the physician approached, Merlin sent him a look but Caspian merely frowned. He wasn't sure what the man was trying to say. Realizing this, the servant sighed and moved out of Amari's way. Whatever he had meant to say or ask, he wouldn't do in the presence of the physician. Caspian was too concerned about Ana to figure it out.

As Amari worked, he saw her frown on more than one occasion. Before he could ask her about it, she ordered Ana to be moved inside a tent that was being set up. Given the circumstances, he should've followed them in. But he realized that Amari probably wanted space and privacy to treat Ana's injuries. After all, the camp was full of men and the only other women present had been rescued from the slavers—he refused to call them anything else. So he paced anxiously outside until Thaddeus reminded him of his injury and asked him to sit. He complied simply because he knew hurting himself took Amari's time off of Ana. That was not what he wished to do.

Caspian had somehow managed to finish his food when they heard the sound of tent flaps moving. Everyone watched as Amari exited the tent and Caspian felt his anxiousness grow again. Amari's face was emotionless, stoic as she approached, revealing nothing of her patient's condition to the others. By the time she reached him, many of them looked away. He stood and offered Amari a seat next to him as he knew she had to be exhausted.

"Something's wrong," Amari said, immediately, refusing the offered seat. "I can't figure it out, but something is definitely wrong."

"What do you mean?" Caspian frowned, sitting down.

"She's not feverish..." she told him.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

She shook her head no. "Normally it would be, but her injuries... They've become infected. When one's body is fighting off an infection, their temperature rises. They get feverish and often delirious. But Ana... she's not feverish. Her body temperature dropped enough that she now has a normal body temperature."

"What does that mean?"

"It means before she got a fever, Ana was hypothermic. That could've stopped her heart..."

"Hypothermic?! How is that possible? She was never cold enough to reach that..."

"Hypothermic is simply whenever one's body temperature becomes significantly lower than normal. Ana's normal is higher than ours because of..." here she paused and her eyes roamed the clearing. "... her magic. Hypothermia would put her at a temperature closer to ours. Instead, even though her body is fighting off an infection her body temperature is what her normal healthy temperature should be. This means that she technically has a fever."

"Wait..." Caspian said, flailing his arms to show his confusion. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I don't know what's wrong. Something made her go hypothermic in the middle of summer and unless I can figure out what it is... She may die. I can keep her warm, but if this is a result of some spell..."

Caspian's eyes widened as he realized what Amari was saying. Without a reason keeping Ana warm may have little effect. If her fever broke, it would be a constant war trying to keep her warm enough. Right now, it was keeping her alive. Amari simply nodded, confirming his thoughts, and his eyes fell on Merlin. The warlock was watching them, but quickly looked away when he noticed Caspian staring at him.

"He couldn't have known," Amari said, following his gaze.

"No..." Caspian agreed. "But I think he may have been trying to say something earlier... before you arrived."

"What about?"

"Ana. But when you showed up, he didn't say it."

"I can talk with him," Amari said, taking a step towards him.

"No," Caspian stated, halting her. He suspected it was something magic related—his magic rather than Ana's and he didn't want to force the warlock to reveal himself. "If it was important, he would've said so." At least he hoped Merlin would've. "Do what you can for her."

"Of course," Amari said, bowing. As she turned to leave, he heard other footsteps approaching and they both looked in the direction they came.

"Forgive me," Thaddeus said, bowing a bit. "We're all concerned for Ana and I couldn't help but overhear... Ana's dying?"

Hearing that statement, while true, caused terror to rise up in his chest. Caspian wasn't sure what exactly it meant if Ana died. But he knew nothing would ever be the same. How could it? She was the light for himself and for the Narnians. When everyone else doubted or feared, Ana was always there to help them believe again. She restored their faith and never let anything get to her. But lately, Caspian could tell her light was going out. She didn't have the fire she once had. It was obvious but he had tried to ignore it.

"Her fever is keeping her alive for now. But maintaining a fever causes damages so I'm at an impasse. If I fight the fever, she will likely go hypothermic again and die. But if I don't, the fever will climb and possibly kill her," Amari explained, voiced heavy.

"What about the cordial?" Thaddeus asked and Caspian kicked himself for not thinking about it first.

"It would heal her injuries and possibly any sickness," Amari said and Caspian was about to order him to fetch it when she continued. "But as far as I know... It won't stop the hypothermia, especially if it's because of magic. Using it could kill her as well."

"Then what can we do?" Thaddeus stated. "We can't just let her die!" He practically shouted and the Narnians shifted uneasily. It was clear they had also been eavesdropping but were pretending not to.

"I'm sorry..." Amari said. "I'll treat her injuries and give her the cordial if they become too severe. I don't want to waste it, especially if we don't know what will work."

Caspian sighed and nodded in agreement with her assessment. "Can you wake her?"

Amari frowned. "The best way for her injuries to heal is rest. She's pushed herself too far and it's put a strain on her body. I won't wake her unless we have to. It'll do her no good."

"I understand," he told her. "Keep her alive and comfortable."

"Sire." Amari bowed and headed to the tent. He watched her go and just as she was about to enter, a familiar voice interrupted.

"Wait!" it said and Caspian turned to see Merlin standing. "I know what's wrong with her."


	32. Some Promises Are Meant to Be Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin breaks his promise and Amari discovers just how sick Ana really is

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Merlin realized he messed up. He had made a promise to keep her secret and now he was breaking it. After all Ana had done for him, this was the one thing he should've been able to do. Now how was he to explain why she told him and not anyone else?

But hearing the distress with which the Narnians spoke, he couldn't keep it anymore. Perhaps they would know how to help. However, he had planned for it to be more personal, between just the King and the physician. Now his outburst had drawn the attention of the entire camp and Merlin about lost his nerve. He stood, frozen to his spot, as the physician and King Caspian eyed him curiously. Everyone else looked at him as if he had two heads.

"Merlin?" Arthur prodded and Merlin realized he had been standing silent too long.

However, when he finally spoke again his mind went into overdrive. He panicked, worried about breaking Ana's secret, and started to ramble. "At least I think I do. She said something earlier and I didn't think anything of it. She asked me not to say anything and I agreed because I didn't think it mattered but now I think it might. I didn't know that would affect her health or I would've mentioned something sooner. I know nothing about magic so how was I supposed to know it would have this effect? Or maybe it's completely unrelated and I'm telling her secret for no reason at all. I'm sorry. I didn't know..." he said all in one breath. The camp was silent afterwards.

"Merlin?" Arthur said again, but his tone was different. He sounded worried—why would Arthur be worried?

"What secret? What do you know?" King Caspian asked and it occurred to Merlin he neglected to mention anything about her magic.

"What? Oh... um... She said she couldn't feel her magic. She said it was gone and asked me not to say anything. I didn't think it mattered so I agreed but now I feel like it might be a bigger issue than she led on. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep secrets from you. She asked and I couldn't deny her that," Merlin rambled again, slowing down at the end.

"What?" King Caspian asked and he thought he would have to repeat himself. "How is that possible?"

He looked at the Narnians in confusion and each only showed confusion in return. No one had an answer for him. Caspian whirled on Merlin, anger on his face, and Merlin suddenly realized he might get blamed for this. Ana certainly wasn't present to take the brunt of the King's rage. But Merlin knew it was more worry and fear about what this meant and was prepared for the King to yell at him. Arthur, however, didn't seem so willing and jumped to placate the noble.

"He couldn't have known if it was important," Arthur said, standing in front of Merlin, but off to the side so as not to conceal him completely. "And she asked him not to say..."

"How long have you known?" he asked instead, ignoring Arthur and barely keeping his anger in check.

Merlin hesitated. "Since that day... She didn't want you to worry."

"Of course she wouldn't," King Caspian replied, deflating. All his anger was replaced with worry as he rubbed his temples. "She would always put The Crown before herself. Even unto death..."

"It makes sense," Amari said, approaching once more. "The loss of her magic would explain why she would've been hypothermic..."

"Are we sure it's gone?" Glenstorm piped up. "After all she's been through, it could just be buried." The King looked thoughtful.

Merlin wasn't sure how much he could say without being suspicious so he stayed silent. Even though Ana had confirmed that she would still be able to feel it, he didn't want to say so. He most definitely couldn't say his magic couldn't find it either. Not with Arthur and the Knights present. Besides, he didn't know how to help her.

"Is there any way to tell?" Caspian asked, looking from the physician to the Narnians.

"Ana can sense magic..." the centaur said, "and we can feel the presence of magic. But I'm not sure if one would be able to tell if it's just buried or gone completely."

"I was near her often when she got back," the mouse spoke up, "and I regret to say I didn't notice anything amiss. I mean she didn't seem quite herself, but I just assumed it was because of what happened. I didn't feel anything different about her."

"Ana would know better than anyone," Thaddeus spoke up. "Surely she'd know whether it was buried or gone... I'm inclined to believe she would've been trying to use it long before now if she had it." The King looked at him quizzically. "I mean think about it... Morgana, the bandits. She's had opportunities to use it, even if not to harm them but to threaten. She didn't once."

"It would explain her behavior..." Caspian hummed, seeming to recall the morning after they had rescued her. "Shortly after we found her, I tried to get her to eat, to talk, to do anything, but she just stared into the remnants of the fire. She snapped out of it before we left, and I thought it was just traumatic. Perhaps it was more. Then later, before that one bandit challenged her, she nearly stuck her hand in the fire. She pulled back before I had a chance to do anything and with everything else, I forgot about it until just now"

"It's not your fault," the physician soothed. "But if Ana has lost her magic, I don't know what to do for her."

"What's going to happen? What happens if she's lost her magic?"

"I don't know," Amari admitted. "Ana's a rare case... There's no one else like her. The only one who would have the answer to that is Ana herself and—"

"Aslan," the King finished for her. "Any ideas on how to get it back?" He looked at the Narnians in hope, but they just shook their heads. Even the two girls with magic, who had been listening but silent, shook their heads as well. No one knew what to do. "I know you said she needs rest, but I think you need to wake her up. It may be the only way to figure out how to help her."

"Of course, sire," she said, taking a step towards the tent.

"But only do so if you're sure it's the only way. Her health is more important than answers."

"But her answers could provide some insight into her health," the physician surmised. And at the King's nod, she retreated to her makeshift infirmary as the rest of the camp tried to process what they had just heard.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

Amari wouldn't admit it, but she was worried. Ana's condition had gotten worse from when she had last seen her—before shooting her King and going with Morgana. She had expected that though. However, the strange set of symptoms that she ended up with was unexpected and Amari wasn't sure what to do.

If she treated the fever, she risked Ana suffering from hypothermia. If the fever was left untreated, it could grow too high and kill her. Even though she had told the King this, Amari was already trying to bring down her fever. They had enough blankets that they could try and keep her warm. And worse come to worse, there was always a fire and body heat. She knew it was best to treat the fever, yet something in her told her it was a mistake.

Upon returning to the tent, Amari realized she had a decision to make. She could continue to treat the fever and infections while Ana rested. Or she could wake her up to figure out if Ana knew what to do. How to treat this. She was already so pale and her body was too weak to fight the infection on its own. Rest would help. But Amari knew the likely outcome of this, regardless of whether she got rest or not. She didn't want to tell the King, but without her magic, Ana would likely die.

She approached her patient's cot and a frown appeared on her face. Ana was pale, deathly so. Not red with fever like one would think. But as Amari approached, she noticed some red splotches on Ana's lips and around her mouth. She realized it was blood and immediately knew there was something serious going on. Pulling off all the blankets, Amari searched for more injuries. Something that would cause internal bleeding, but found nothing.

Ana coughed a harsh, wet cough and more blood trickled from her mouth. It confirmed her suspicions of an internal bleed, but she still couldn't figure out the source. Her ribs hadn't punctured a lung as her breathing was fine—well, relative to her condition anyways. So why was she coughing up blood? What had happened? She paced around the tent for a bit, unsure of what to do and then approached Ana's medical bag.

Her hands lingered over the clasp for a moment in hesitation before she opened it to remove a bottle of blood-red liquid. Amari knew that Ana had meant to put this medicine somewhere safe, away from anyone who may try to abuse it, but with everything that had been going on she hadn't the chance. Instead Amari had found it in her bag when she was searching for what she might've needed. She ended up filling her own medicine bag and then Ana's as a precaution. Grabbing a clean cloth, she approached Ana and sat down beside her.

"Oh Ana," she said, wiping the blood from her lips. "What mess have you gotten yourself into? I don't know how to help you... I'm afraid this medicine may not be of use to you. It's not the cure we need, but I'd use it in a heartbeat if I knew it would save your life. As it stands, I don't know if it will and may actually speed up the process." Her patient was still. The only movement she made was when she was coughing, her face contorting in slight pain. Amari wiped away the blood and then set both the cloth and the bottle aside. "If you were awake, I know you'd venomously protest using it. But your life is precious, it's valuable. There are people who care about you and need you. So you've got to fight, Ana. You can't give up." She wiped the beginnings of tears from her eyes and took a deep breath. "I need you to tell me what's wrong with you..."

Her final statement had her rising from her spot. She went to the small table and tinkered around for a moment. Then she returned to Ana's side with a capped vial in her hands. Knowing she had to do this, she brought it just underneath her patient's nose, uncapped it and waved the vial around. The effects were almost instantaneous. Amari barely had time to pull back the vial when Ana woke up gagging. She quickly placed it out of the way and rushed to keep her down.

"Easy," she placated, one hand on her uninjured shoulder. "Just lie back." Whether she didn't have the strength or just didn't care, Ana easily complied. "You're alright. You're safe," she continued to soothe when Ana didn't seem to recognize her surroundings all the way. "The King found you near death several hours ago. They're all worried."

"Caspian's... alive?" Ana finally rasped out. Her voice was rough and Amari assumed she had been coughing long before now.

"Yes. And relatively unharmed. He'll recover quick enough," she answered, knowing Ana would avoid questions about her if the King's fate was unknown. She retrieved some water and was a little concerned that Ana needed help drinking it. She was too weak to even hold the cup to her lips.

"That's good," Ana said after a drink, voice a bit better. Her eyes started to droop and Amari knew she had to get her questions answered fast.

"You can rest in a moment. I woke you up because I need some answers in regards to your health." Ana said nothing but was watching her, an indication that she was listening and it was alright for her to proceed. "Some of your wounds got infected which meant you should've had a fever. But when I checked, your body temperature was normal for you. I assumed at some point it dropped below normal so that when you caught fever, it stabilized it. Do you know what caused this?" Ana was slow to answer and Amari worried she hadn't heard her, but eventually she nodded her head. "What was it?" Here, she could tell Ana didn't want to answer as she wasn't able to hide the slight fear that crossed her face. And she struggled to come up with an excuse, likely due to the fever making her mind sluggish. "Before you lie to me, I have a thought. You can tell me if I'm wrong. People started noticing something wasn't right and when I mentioned possible hypothermia to the King they realized something. They think something happened to your magic... That something caused it to be injured and seriously hindered. So much so that it's affecting you." She figured Ana would be more honest if she thought they figured it out on their own. That way she wouldn't be upset because Merlin had broken his promise.

"The cuffs..." Ana said and Amari frowned.

"What cuffs?"

"When they captured me, they placed magic restraining cuffs on me. My magic started acting out on its own accord whenever it felt I was threatened. There was an incident—" Ana's explanation was a cough that wracked her body and caused her to grimace. When she pulled her hand back, she saw the blood and frowned. "I think something happened when I was under the influence of whatever they gave me. Caspian said he found me as the phoenix but the cuffs should've prevented that. Yes, I could access it a little bit but every time I did, the cuffs burned me. No matter how hard I wanted to, I couldn't force phoenix out. That pain was too much... But somehow he found me as the phoenix. Ever since then I can't access it. I've been trying to every so often since then and nothing... I've never been without it. I would know if it was buried. It's not. My magic is gone."


	33. A Physician’s Lament and a King’s Curiosity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur starts to wonder if everything he’s been taught is wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry everyone. Between yesterday being Independence Day and working a double shift, I completely forgot to update. At least I got most of the editing done beforehand as I’m just now getting off work. So here's the late update. Happy belated 4th of July to my readers in the United States!

Amari barely managed to keep in a gasp at Ana's statement. She had merely suspected it, but hearing Ana confirm the loss of her magic only made matters worse. It made her heart break because Ana looked so sad when she finally admitted it. But she also knew it didn't bode well for her patients' health. Not to mention mental status. 

"How?" was all Amari was able to ask.

"I don't know," Ana admitted. "Something must've happened when they drugged me that made Phoenix react against the cuffs. It would've had to have been something very dangerous to have elicited a strong enough reaction to bring it out..."

"What do you mean?"

"The cuffs were magic restraining. I felt my life draining away a little with each passing hour that they were not taken off. But they weren't enough to block it completely. Caspian and the others witnessed it acting up—I blacked out from the pain every time it happened—but never so far as to transform."

"And you're absolutely sure it's gone?"

"I nearly had a panic attack when I found out Phoenix killed two people and I had no recollection of it happening. It means I lost control and I was so terrified that I would lose control and hurt someone I cared about... hurt Caspian, that I panicked." Ana coughed again and Amari moved to get some more water. "While Caspian was able to get me to settle, I realized I couldn't feel my magic. Which means I couldn't lose control. But I've been trying and... nothing. Not even the slightest spark."

"It's bad, isn't it?" Amari asked and luckily Ana understood so she didn't have to elaborate.

"Yes... without it, everything is so different. Not to mention I lost something that was as vital to me as breathing. It hurts." Another cough racked her body and when Amari rose to fetch something to wipe the blood away, Ana's eyes fell on the cordial.

"I found it in your bag," Amari said. "I figured I might need the extra supplies when I discovered both you and His Majesty were missing. I know you wouldn't like me to use it but..."

"If I knew it would work, I'd let you. I just want the pain to end, to stop. It hurts to breathe, to be alive. As it is, I'm not sure it will be of any use."

"There's got to be some way to get your magic back," Amari told her. She couldn't bear to hear the pain in which Ana spoke.

"If there is, I don't know. There may be only one who truly does..."

"We'll find Aslan then," Amari said as Ana's eyes began to droop.

"You don't find him," Ana yawned. "He finds you..." Her last words trailed off as her eyes fluttered shut. Amari had a minute of panic in which she thought Ana had died, but realized she had just been too weak to fight the exhaustion.

"Don't you worry," Amari whispered. "We'll figure this out. You just keep fighting. If it's your time... I understand. But don't you dare stop fighting. Fight to your last breath and give me—give us a chance to save you."

Her voice cracked and she wiped tears from her eyes. Her physician facade was cracking and she quickly moved to prepare a tonic for her patient's pain. Ana had mentioned that everything hurt but with the phoenix gone, she probably wouldn't need as much. Still her orders were to keep her comfortable and being in pain clearly was not. She kept the dose lighter than normal though, afraid of over medicating. That task completed, she opened her patient's mouth and forced the tonic in. Luckily Ana swallowed naturally and she didn't have to hold her nose to force it down.

She took another cloth and wiped away the blood on the corners of her mouth. Then she discarded them into a pile full of dirty rags—most used to clean Ana's injuries—that would be cleaned and reused later or thrown away depending on the need. Finding no other way to help her, Amari turned to leave. She had others who needed their injuries treated and she needed to talk with the King. Someone needed to find answers or they wouldn't be able to save Ana.

She started with the group of captives that had rejoined the few Narnians that remained with her. Amari wasn't sure what circumstances caused them to come back, but she intended to take advantage of it. They needed treatment. Treatment that they hadn't allowed before, but she hoped their return meant they were more willing to do so. Luckily her assumption was correct and each were treated in the privacy of the tent. Ana being the only other one present, though she remained asleep throughout the process.

Amari did keep an eye on her, but after wiping away blood and making sure she was still breathing there wasn't much else she could do. Not until they had the answers they needed. Some rescues had injuries that were worse than Ana's but had obviously been treated and allowed to heal. Ana's had not, making her worse off. The state of them brought her to tears several times as she wondered who could do such a thing. None of them spoke beyond what Amari asked and most watched Ana with a sad, dead look in their eyes. They needed to talk about their experiences to heal, but she didn't know how to get them to talk. It would be painful to relive it and she couldn't ask them to do that.

As she finished treating the last of the rescues, it was dark out. Her attention turned back to Ana. She knew Ana had been right in what she said about Aslan, but it didn't hurt to send someone out to look for Him. Besides, she had to report to the King on the state of his ward—so to speak. It wasn't official but he acted like Ana's safety was his responsibility sometimes—which she could do while treating his injury. He was sure to have made it worse with all the travel and would likely be in need of some more pain medicine. After making sure Ana wasn't going to die in the next few hours—though that was hard to predict with her symptoms—she left to do just that.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

Arthur tried to avoid eavesdropping on the physician's conversation with the King, but he would never admit that he was worried. There was something about Ana that made him feel concerned for her fate, even after what she had done. He was surprised to hear she was dying and their physician didn't know how to treat it. He was even more surprised when Merlin admitted to keeping secrets. Arthur always thought him to be a terrible liar, but apparently he was able to keep something that was vital to someone else's health a secret. Something that could result in her death. And why was Arthur concerned about whether a sorceress died?

Because she saved your life. Twice, his brain unhelpfully supplied. Because she hasn't tried to kill you, even when she was with Morgana. She convinced Morgana to spare your life and has shown you nothing but kindness from day one. His mind kept adding. There were so many questions he had to ask her, so he was hoping she would live. But Merlin's panicked response gave him little hope. It made him concerned for not only Ana but Merlin as well. Why would Merlin feel compelled to keep a secret for someone he hardly knew?

His thoughts were interrupted by a tent flap. He looked up as Amari exited, but she didn't move towards King Caspian. Instead she moved towards the rescues and whispered something. There was a general nod amongst them and then one followed the physician into the tent. It was then Arthur realized that most had refused treatment before. Only the one who was worse off than Ana—at the time—had been treated. But now they were. What changed? And why were they back instead of with the soldiers the King had sent earlier? So many questions. And the night wasn't getting any younger. He doubted many of the others would get sleep without knowing Ana's fate, but there was no reason he and the Knights couldn't. Afterall, they couldn't get mad at them for falling asleep.

He must've dozed off at some point as the next thing he knew was quiet chatter between the physician and King Caspian. With the exception of the crackling fire and soft snoring from one of his Knights—Gwaine, he thought—the camp was silent. He was just close enough that he could pick up what was said. He wouldn't have eavesdropped and tried to go back to sleep, but the mention of Ana's name made him curious. Which frustrated him beyond measure. He shouldn't care. She had magic. She was evil. Is she?

"Are you sure?" King Caspain asked.

"As sure as I can be," Amari replied. "I don't know magic like she does. But believe me when I tell you she didn't want to admit it. It was like it was physically painful to say she no longer had magic."

"Is there a way to treat this?" The King sounded desperate. "There has to be something you can do."

"I don't know... Ana didn't either. Only that Aslan might."

"Then we have to find him!"

"I agree, but there's one more thing... I didn't mention it to her, but I can tell she's lost her will to fight. I've been trying to encourage her while she sleeps, but I don't know if it's done any good."

"What does that mean?" Arthur could hear the pain in his voice.

"It means, even if we find a cure, there may not be anything left of Ana to save. If we find Aslan, it may be too late. She said she'd let me use the cordial if she knew it would help and you know how she feels about that."

"Wait... You have the cordial?"

"I found it in Ana's bag... I'm guessing she never got a chance to hide it."

"I told her to put it someplace safe well over six months ago." There was anger in the King's voice and Arthur didn't know why. What was so special about this cordial that it had to be hidden?

"You have to remember, Sire. Ana does a lot of things. She's a member of your council and even privy council which means she has to attend several meetings. Sometimes more than three a day. She's in charge of partial training of your Knights and soldiers. She helps me in her spare time, which is not as often as either of us would like. She is also your advisor should you ask for it. Not to mention I know that on at least three separate occasions she has dealt with pompous and arrogant nobles who think it's perfectly alright to beat servants just because they were born of lower status. She was able to deal with them in a way that didn't mess with the strenuous peace you've been working so hard to achieve while also letting them know that mistreatment of others will not be tolerated."

"I've never heard about those..."

"No, I don't suppose you would. If she had reported them, it would've resulted in you having to choose between placating the nobles or favoring the servants. She knows you'd choose the servants—they all do in fact—and therefore she handled it. She's a busy person and the only reason she got into this mess was because I suggested she needed a break. I'm not surprised she hasn't had time to hide the cordial. I'm surprised she even sleeps..." The physician's voice cracked and Arthur could tell she was on the verge of crying.

"Amari..." the King's tone was soft and he suddenly felt rude for eavesdropping on a fellow King. "It's no one's fault but those that did this to her, to them. Ana wouldn't want either of us blaming ourselves. We're of no use to her like that."

"You're right... What are we going to do?"

"I'll send one of the Narnians out in search of Aslan. I can think of several who might have some good luck. Reepicheep for one."

"And in the meantime?"

"Keep her alive. By whatever means necessary. If you have to use the cordial, do it. She's not dying without a fight. And if she can't do it herself you can guarantee that you or I will."

"She's like a daughter to me," Amari said. "I'll do whatever it takes. You have my word."

"Good. Goodnight Amari." There were no footsteps and Arthur soon got an answer. "Is there something else?"

"Yes..." the physician answered rather hesitantly. "I don't know if Ana's figured it out—which given her state and all she's been through I seriously doubt it—but I think it was a lot closer for her than we'd like to admit..."

"Closer?"

"That you almost didn't get there in time. That the reason Ana's magic is gone is because someone tried to take advantage of an innocent girl. If she was drugged, it was likely Phoenix knew Ana couldn't fight back and reacted to protect her. Which would explain why it was Phoenix you found and why she hadn't transformed."

"The man in her cell..." King Caspian whispered. "But if Ana was drugged, how could Phoenix fight back?"

"Because it takes more to knock out Phoenix and since the cuffs cut off her magic, it's likely it was separate and therefore unaffected. Ana would know best, but that's my likely explanation."

"And forcing Phoenix out put a strain on her magic?"

"Yes," Amari replied. "I believe so... It's the only reason I can think as to why her magic acted against her will. To protect her."

"I see... Thank you Amari."   


"Sire... Please try and rest. You need it." There was a pause and Arthur assumed she was bowing. 

Then retreating footsteps told Arthur she had left. He heard quiet shuffling from King Caspian as he settled for the night. But judging by what he had heard, he suspected the King wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. It was amazing the effect Ana had on people. On him. He always thought magic was evil but these people had never tried to harm him. And he also realized that Ana had never harmed anyone with her magic either, except in self defense. And as much as he tried, he couldn't blame her for that. True part of it was probably because she couldn't use her magic, but she could before. Arthur couldn't help but wonder what would've happened if Ana had used her magic on the bandits earlier. Would she still be in this situation? Would any of them?

That thought had Arthur groaning internally. The one time someone didn't use their magic and people still tried to kill him. It happened plenty of times when magic was used, but this was different. He didn't know what to make of this. Didn't know what to think about magic anymore. It was those thoughts that plagued his mind as he finally fell asleep again.


	34. Chapter 34: Finding Phoenix’s Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating last week. It was crazy busy and by the time I realized I hadn’t updated, I figured I might as well wait until next Saturday and just upload two chapters.

When Arthur awoke next, he heard hushed whispering. The Knights were just beginning to stir and he looked around for the source. King Caspian was talking with the Narnian General. Amari was there as well and a mouse—Reepicheep if he remembered correctly—stood upon the back of the horse. All four were in deep conversation and didn't seem to notice that the camp was waking up. 

As the Knights stood up, the four quickly ended their discussion. It was then that Arthur recalled the conversation he had overheard earlier that morning. Ana wasn't well and they were to seek out Aslan—a powerful sorcerer it seemed, though King Caspian denied he was that—who might have the answers. Arthur assumed the reason for the hushed voices was to not worry the others as well. It also might've been to prevent him from getting concerned about more magic. He still felt uncomfortable around these creatures and though he tried to hide it, he suspected King Caspian knew.

Arthur approached the foreign King but his eyes sought out Merlin. The lazy fool was still asleep and he grinned as he changed course. He picked up a large stick, probably for firewood, and made his way over. Seeing his servant sleeping peacefully, Arthur's smile grew as he began prodding him in the leg with the stick. He became more aggressive as Merlin refused to wake-up.

"Get up, lazy daisy," Arthur said, barelt holding back a chuckle at Merlin's sleepy frown. But even then, the boy couldn't hide the humor he found.

"Is there something you needed?" Merlin sarcastically asked.

"No," he responded.

"Then why do I need to get up?"

"Because no servant of mine is sleeping longer than me," he retorted as Merlin frowned.

"Then maybe you should go back to sleep," he quipped back.

Arthur merely shrugged and walked away with a grin on his face as Merlin stood up. He could tell the servant was grumbling as he did so and that made him smile even more. As he approached King Caspian he sobered a bit. He didn't lose his smile completely, not wanting to let on that he knew something was wrong, but he didn't want to seem rude when he knew the King was upset. The physician stood nearby but upon seeing Arthur approach, she bowed and excused herself. He watched her disappear into the infirmary tent before turning back to King Caspian.

"What will you and your men need?" he asked before Arthur had so much as a chance to offer a greeting.

"I'm sorry?" Arthur asked, confused.

"For your journey back to Camelot. I assume you'll be leaving soon. You can take a few horses and some supplies. Just tell me what you need." The King seemed to be trying to send him off and Arthur was curious as to why.

"I told you I have some questions I would like Ana to answer," Arthur reminded him. "I'll wait until she's healthy enough and then I'd like to speak with her. And even if we were leaving, I wouldn't take what little supplies you have. You have what appears to be a quarter of your army and there's not enough to go around. I couldn't in good conscience take it."

He only smiled slightly. "All the same, your questions may not get answers."

"What do you mean?" Arthur already knew the answer but wondered if King Caspian would tell him.

He glanced at the tent and sighed. Arthur could see the anguish in his eyes. "There's no cure for Ana... Not a natural one anyways. I don't want to worry the men so I would appreciate it if you didn't say anything."

"Of course. What are you going to do?"

"I won't lie to you... I'm sending some scouts out in search of Aslan. He is our only hope now."

"And if they can't find him?"

"Then Ana's fate is sealed. She will die."

"I'm sorry," Arthur stated, truly saddened by the news. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"No... This is not something any of us can do..."

Arthur gave him a comforting pat before dismissing himself. He had overheard the news earlier but to hear it straight from the King's mouth seemed to make it worse. More real. He sat down next to the rest of the Knights and tried to keep his expression neutral.

"The girl's health is not good, I take it," Leon said almost immediately.

"No," Arthur told him, assuming he had been watching their interaction. "They don't have a cure for it."

"What are they going to do?" Gwaine, who had been uncharacteristically silent, asked.

"Send out search parties for a sorcerer who may be able to help," Arthur answered.

"They're going to bring him here?" Elyan question. "And you're alright with that?"

"Of course I'm not alright with it," Arthur nearly hissed. "But it's not illegal here. And he didn't lie to me about what he was doing either, so he wasn't trying to hide it."

No one said anything after that. The news of Ana's poor state didn't seem to sit well with any of his men. Arthur was glad that he wasn't the only who had been affected by the fiery child—no, she was a warrior. She had proved her skill more than enough times. She deserved respect and for that reason, Arthur couldn't bring himself to even think of her as a child anymore. Even if she looked like it, she most certainly was not.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

Merlin watched Arthur carefully. His behavior was... strange. If they weren't busy Arthur often let him sleep a little later—not too late, mind you as he couldn't waste the day away—but this time he hadn't. He also didn't seem up to their normal banter as his excuse for waking him up was weak and he offered no comeback when Merlin suggested he go back to sleep. The prat almost always had to have the last word but he had instead walked away.

There was a short discussion between the Kings and Merlin was curious as to what was said. He wondered if it would shed some light on his sour mood. As he finished putting away his and Arthur's bedroll—the prat hadn't even managed to do that!—he joined the others just in time to hear what King Caspian planned to do about Ana. He didn't even know her condition was worsening and Arthur had a strange look whenever he mentioned it. Could he be concerned? Was that why he was acting strange?

"Perhaps we should head back go Camelot now, Sire," Leon interrupted the quiet that had descended upon the group. Arthur sent him a disapproving look, much to his and the Knights' confusion. "It's just that we are no longer needed and we've been gone for several months."

"We were looking for what alliances Morgana might've made and offer ours first," Elyan added. "And I think we got the answer."

"No doubt the Narnians would side with us should it come to it," Leon continued. "Isn't it time to go home? Camelot could do with its King, especially now that Morgana is no longer lurking in these woods."

"We don't know that," Arthur said. "Traveling is dangerous. Especially so far with so few people."

"Traveling in a smaller group makes us less likely to be detected," Percival disagreed. "Or is there some other reason you wish to stay?"

"I feel guilty leaving them like this, especially since it's my fault this misfortune befell them," Arthur answered.

"There's nothing more we can do," Leon stated, not without sympathy. "You couldn't have known Morgana would be here."

Arthur was about to answer when two Telmarines approached. One carried a pot and a ladle while the other held several bowls. Gwaine—who had been strangely quiet during the debate—grinned and stood to relieve the men of their burden. Merlin jumped to help and breakfast was divided up between them. They ate in silence, wanting to know Arthur's decision. There was something else keeping him here and Merlin couldn't figure out what it was.

A tent flapped and several heads in the group turned towards the infirmary. Merlin watched as Amari approached the King and the two talked in hushed voices again. Their faces were blank, giving him no indication of what was said. But the King nodded and looked ready to make a speech. As he turned to face his men, a soft breeze riffled through and Merlin felt a magic like he had never felt before. It was very calming and he saw several people relax. Even King Caspian seemed more at ease.

"Ana's not well," he said to all who were listening. "Amari has no cure for her condition. Without a miracle, she will not survive." Several gasps and the King held up a hand to silence any questions. "I've sent two men out in search of Aslan. Aslan willing, they will get to Him in time and Ana will be saved. But in case it's too late, in case it's her time, Amari has said it would be alright to wake her up should anyone want to see her. Not all at once, but if there's anything you would like to say, now may be your last chance."

He seemed to look at Arthur at his last statement, but Merlin wasn't sure. He did know that it took everything in the foreign King to keep himself composed. Merlin could see the pain it caused to say those words. To talk as though Ana would no longer be with them. He was saddened to hear the news as were the Knights. Several of the captives were crying and the Narnians appeared at a loss. It was amazing the effect one person could have on others. In the brief time that Merlin had known her, he could tell Ana tried to bring light everywhere she went. It was obvious by the fact that even Arthur seemed depressed at the news.

When the King finished his statement, Amari had made some comment about letting them know when it would be fine to visit. But Merlin hadn't been listening too well, too shocked by the news. And the physician headed back into the tent before he had time to process it. Which was why he was surprised when she returned not a moment later.

"She's gone!" the physician cried as several approached it.

"Gone?" King Caspian asked.

"Her cot's empty and she's no longer in the tent." Amari sounded panicked.

"Calm down," the King told her. "She can't have gotten far."

"She was asleep, too weak to even move. How could she just disappear?"

"If you're suggesting someone took her, that's impossible. No one could've snuck passed the watch," he told the physician before turning to his men. "Spread out. Search the surrounding areas. Find out where she went and what has happened to her." Everyone scrambled to their feet—those who were sitting anyways—breakfast forgotten as they drew their swords. "No one returns until she is found." And Merlin knew he meant it. Even the Knights jumped up to help with the search.

"Until who is found?" a feminie voice asked.

Merlin watched in shock as everyone temporarily froze at the comment before turning to find the source. He did the same and as he did a smile made its way onto his face. There, on a hill a little way from the main camp stood Ana. Her brow was furrowed but at the same time she somehow managed to have a slight grin on her face. And she didn't look as if she was dying mere moments ago.


	35. Chapter 35: A Light in the Darkness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s a second chapter so hopefully someone will be happy this day. It’s a birthday present from me to you, but don’t worry about wishing me “happy birthday” I’ve spent the past 30-45 minutes crying in my room so that should tell you how happy it’s been.

Everyone stood in shock, unsure how to react. Ana shuffled awkwardly at the attention. Her color had returned and the bandages on her wrists were gone. The burns had disappeared and as she stepped into the camp, she didn't seem to be in any pain. All her injuries appeared to have been healed. Merlin would've been surprised if any of them left scars, given that the assumed healing was magical.

"What?" King Caspian stated, breaking the silence. Ana approached him.

"Aslan called to me and I went to Him," she explained simply. "But I didn't go expecting to return... I asked Him to take away my pain, to let me go home. He promised me soon."

There was a sharp intake of breath from several people at that. But the King remained unfazed. "But you're here now."

"Yes... He reminded me that He calls all times soon. So eventually it will be my time, but not today. Not for awhile. I've still got a lot of work to do," she smiled and made to move past her King.

When reached out to stop her, she flinched. He frowned and his arm immediately fell, clenching into a fist. Ana's flinch was very subtle but with everyone watching, it was doubtful anyone missed it. She had turned away so Merlin could no longer see her face, but he knew she regretted the action.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I don't know why I keep doing that."

"I think I do," he said, but didn't elaborate. Merlin assumed that if they hadn't had an audience the King would've explained.

Ana didn't seem interested in the explanation right then anyways. "I know you probably have some questions and I will do my best to answer them. But there's something else I have to do first," she said. And although she said it while looking at King Caspian, it was to the whole group.

Again she made to go around her King. This time he let her, standing almost frozen on the spot. Merlin couldn't figure out what was going on in the King's mind as his face was surprisingly blank. One would think he would be relieved, but the King had shown no emotions. It was puzzling for Merlin, to say the least.

After just a brief moment in his strange stupor, the King turned. After telling his men to relax and start packing up the camp, mostly everyone ignored Ana. But Merlin—and Arthur apparently—couldn't and he watched as she approached the captives. He felt rude for eavesdropping, but he was also interested in what she wanted with them. Luckily for Merlin, he wasn't too far that he couldn't listen in without seeming suspicious.

"Why the tears?" Ana said softly as she joined them on the ground. "I'm alright. Everything will be alright."

"How?" one girl asked. "After all we've been through, how can you say it will be alright?"

"You don't even know what it was like," a boy hissed, seeming angry. "You weren't there long enough..."

"You're right... I didn't suffer as much as all of you did, but I did take the brunt of his mistreatment. I can't imagine what you all have been through—what I might've gone through. But that doesn't mean things won't get better."

"He forced us to do dark, unspeakable things," the first girl spoke. "In order to prove our loyalty... He made us pass a test. It was different for those with magic but just as cruel." There were nods from what Merlin assumed were other sorcerers.

"I know what it was for those with magic," Ana said. "He would brag about it to me... He knew I would be difficult to break and he relished in tormenting me with the things he would have me do. Using magic to torture and kill innocent people. To prove how evil we truly were. And after that... well, I think you know."

"You become his slave," Kaitlynn finished and Ana nodded. 

"Some of us never got that far," Ana told the group. "But a lot of you did. He broke you down, made you feel like you were worthless and undeserving of any love or affection. But those were the lies of an evil man. You are so much more than what you've been through and there is nothing—nothing—you're not worthy of. You are beautiful, wonderful, and loved. I don't know why bad things happen to good people and I don't know why some of us had to suffer more than others.

"All I know is that you can be stronger for it. What you went through was horrible and I can only imagine what you've suffered. But you have three choices when something like this happens. I know because I've been through some pretty horrific stuff myself. Things that made me wish I wasn't born, so I know that pain. When bad things happen, you can let it define you as a victim, let it destroy you so that you push away anyone who would help you, or let it strengthen you and use this as a story to help others overcome their darkest moment."

They were silent for a moment and even Merlin was processing what Ana had said.

"You speak like we can be happy again. How are you able to keep getting up again? No matter how many times he beat you down, you still got up and you fought him. More than any of us had ever done. How did you manage that?" It was the other girl, Aileen.

Ana gently smiled. "Because I knew two things. I knew that help was coming and I had to fight as much as I could. The fighting had the added benefit of keeping most of his focus off of you. I knew I could take his beatings. I had before. But the second thing was my faith. They can beat us down, they can torture and kill us, but they cannot take away our faith or our hope unless we let them. I know some of you lost hope, and I won't deny that I probably would have as well. But I know I was put where I was for a reason and He never gives me more than I can handle. I think my reason for being there was you all—to be light in a very dark place and give everyone hope again."

"Who's He?" the same boy from before spoke.

"Aslan... He is everything that is good and right in this world."

"If he's so good, why doesn't he just rid the world of evil?"

"Because free will exists. Because we have the freedom to choose. The best explanation I can come up with is something I read about once: '[Aslan] created things which had free will. That means creatures which can go wrong or right. Some think they can imagine a creature which was free but had no possibility of going wrong, but I can't. If a thing is free to be good it's also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Why, then, did [He] give them free will? Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.'"

"So evil exists because we can choose?" the boy asked again, less accusatory.

"Yes," Ana answered. "He wants us to follow Him because we want to, not because we have to. And I know things seem pretty dark right now but this will get better. I know because they have for me. It won't always be dark. I'll tell you something someone wise once told me: When you're going through hard times, or life leaves you in a rut, and you feel like there's darkness all around you, look to the stars."

"But it's daylight," a girl replied.

"May be so," Ana said with a light giggle. "But that doesn't mean they're not there. It's just that stars can't shine without the darkness. So you see, in times of darkness, we can truly shine."

"Are you always this wise?" Kaitlynn asked.

"Only when Aslan gives me the words to speak."

She fell silent after that, letting them absorb what she had said. Merlin glanced away before Ana looked up and found him staring. Her words and soft tone had drawn the attention of anyone nearby. Both Arthur and the Knights were shocked silent. King Caspian also appeared to have been listening and now had a slight smile on his face. Most of the captives also seemed receptive of her words and appeared much brighter.

Ana stood up and her eyes scanned the camp. It was clear she was looking for something when she frowned. She looked pointedly at King Caspian and then the Generals, all of which frowned at the action. Clearly none understood what she was trying to convey and she sighed.

"Where did my bow get off to?" she asked aloud.

"Ah..." the King said. "It's been safely put away. None of us knew when you'd be able to use it again."

"May I have it?" she asked.

"Of course. They're yours," he said, eyebrows rising in inquiry, and looked at General Thaddeus. "Could you please retrieve Ana's weapons?"

The General bowed and left to do as instructed. Merlin had no idea where they ended up because he hadn't been focused on that. After they had been removed from Ana's still form, he was more concerned with tending to her injuries. He had completely forgotten about them, but someone obviously had not.

Thaddeus returned, weapons in hand. Merlin noted that he didn't just carry the bow and arrows. He held two daggers, one of which was attached to a small belt while the other was curiously only in a scabbard. These he handed off to Ana without a word. His smile indicated he wasn't upset though. He just had nothing else to say. Ana smiled back as she secured her dagger to her waist and placed her quiver on her back. She kept the other dagger in hand for now. The warrior was back.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

"What questions can I answer?" Ana asked when she realized everyone was staring at her. They were silent for a moment but then Caspian spoke.

"Are you alright?" he asked almost hesitantly.

"Physically, I'm very well. Everything is healed and I'm not in any pain. Mentally... well, that may take a bit more time. But that's normal. The mind is a strange thing..."

"And... Phoenix?"

"Is back," she answered simply. She didn't know what else to say. "I'm alright. Phoenix might be a little testy for a while, but I'll work it out."

"Great... So we're going to have to worry about spontaneous combustion?" the condescending Telmarine, Arilan questioned.

"No," Ana bit back, not amused with the Telmarine's words. "I have to worry about not transforming when I get angry, which will result in Phoenix wanting to attack someone. But bursting into flames should not be a problem. I have that well enough in hand."

He huffed and muttered, "Until you lose control and kill a Telmarine," which Ana knew no one else had heard.

She frowned. "I've only lost control one time that has resulted in the death of someone."

"That you remember,'" he said.

"Arilan!" Caspian chastised him. "That's enough."

"No..." Ana stated. "It's alright. The one time I lost control is the one time I don't remember. But apparently, Phoenix killed two people earlier this week. Two people that I don't have any recollection of. That is the only time I have ever lost control and someone got hurt. Other times, I hadn't fully learned to control it, to transform at will, but no one was hurt—except me, of course. You have nothing to worry about from me."

"Says the person who killed someone and they don't even remember it."

"I was drugged... I have an excuse," Ana countered, feeling a but put off by his commentary.

"That's quite enough. She's answered your question. There's no need to continue. Your disdain was noted beforehand," Caspian said, and Ana bit her lip to keep from smiling at his comment. The Telmarine nearly choked, trying to come up with an excuse, to deny his dislike of her.

"I've known about it, she's known about it, half the people here probably knew about it before now," Caspian continued. "Your questions are only making your contempt towards Ana more obvious. Any questions regarding that can wait until we're back at the castle."

The Telmarine looked affronted but he did relent in his accusations, stepping away to pack up part of the camp. Ana looked towards Arthur and the Knights, a little surprised they were still here. She had half expected them to leave after Merlin and Arthur caught up with the Knights. Their presence made her curious as to why they had stayed.

"Since everyone is still here, I would like to formally apologize for my... treasonous act," she said, watching Arthur more than anyone. "I knew as soon as I left the tent that I was supposed to go with Morgana. But the only way I could do that was to prove my loyalty by killing who I was supposed to be loyal to. Nothing I said in my attempt to persuade her was true. I didn't mean any of it. If you have any doubts about my loyalty, I completely understand and would do anything to prove it was all a ploy. And I'm sorry for any issues it may have caused."

"I already told them I gave you permission," Caspian said.

"I'm just glad you figured it out," Ana told him.

"Well, I had a little help from a friend of yours... And your subtle clue about Aslan."

"Besides," Thaddeus said, "if you really wanted His Majesty dead, he would be. You wouldn't have missed a target like that."

"And it takes someone very skilled to not do any permanent damage," Amari added, smiling lightly.

"Why did you go with Morgana?" Arthur asked suddenly, changing the conversation.

"At first, I didn't know. But I knew it was what He wanted me to do, so I went. I told just enough truths to make her believe me, to stop her from killing you. After you escaped, she wanted to know the location of a sorcerer, Emrys." Ana made sure to make it sound like this was the first time she had heard of him but still saw Merlin stiffen.

"Why a sorcerer? Why not track us down and kill us?"

"She didn't say... But I got the impression it wasn't to use him as an ally. Her demeanor when speaking about him was one of hate."

"And you could find this sorcerer?" Sir Leon asked her.

"I can sense magic. Always have. I think it was because I was born in a place where magic was free. Without the phoenix, it wasn't as strong but luckily the source I found was powerful. I led her in that direction, but it wasn't towards the sorcerer—he wasn't close enough for me to find. I felt that magic enough to know it was Aslan. I tried leading her to Him, but I got too sick and couldn't continue. She must've suspected I was lying to her as she cast some kind of spell on me and took off. That was the last I saw of her."

"That explains her actions then..." Thaddeus muttered.

"What?" Ana asked, curious.

"She made one last stand against us, but shortly before we saw her there was a roar. She came stumbling out of the woods, terrified."

"She must've tried something and Aslan let her get away..." she surmised. "Why? I cannot answer that. Only He can."

"I have one more question," Arthur said. "If I may."

"Of course... I'll do my best to answer."

"When you convinced Morgana not to torture me, how much of what you said was true?"

Ana was silent for a moment. She wasn't sure how to answer his question. Nobody present knew much about her past as she had neglected to mention anything about it. All she had was vague memories with lots of gaps. When she spoke to Morgana, she didn't know where those memories were coming from. Were they real or something she invented as a child to explain why she was on her own? She remembered picking up survival skills from watching fauns, a fire, running. But she couldn't put the pieces together.

"I'm sorry for asking," Arthur apologized, pulling Ana from her thoughts. It was then that she realized she had taken longer than usual to respond.

"It's alright," Ana assured, sending him a light smile. "It's just that I don't know... I remember very little from my childhood. I have vague memories with lots of gaps. My most clear memory is surviving a fire. So what I said was not from my own memories, but someone—or something—else's. I don't know if any of it was true or just something I made up to explain why I was alone. The mind is very strange... I can remember things from the last 1400 years, but not that."

"I'm sorry..." Arthur gaped. "Did you say 1400 years?"

"Yes..." Ana nearly chuckled at his reaction. "Since a phoenix is reborn after dissolving into ash, I can't age. I told you when we first met that I magically stayed a child. I've been stuck as a 15 year old for the last 1400 years."

"I didn't realize," he muttered quietly and Ana almost didn't hear him.

"No one ever does," she answered. "It's something I wouldn't wish upon my greatest enemy." Ana sent him a light smile, wanting him to know she was not angry with him. "I just have one thing to say... Don't give up on her. It may seem like she's a lost cause, but there's still some good in her. She tried to help me... Her heart is not fully dark yet. There's a chance someone like you can save her. I wasn't the right person at that time, maybe I wasn't supposed to be. "I'm not saying forgive her crimes. Just that the woman you once knew is in there somewhere. She just needs help getting out."

"Thank you," Arthur said, a little taken aback.

"Any more pressing questions?" she asked and her eyes scanned the clearing.

Everyone either didn't acknowledge her question or nodded their dissent. She looked at Caspian and knew immediately there were more questions he wanted to ask. But before Ana could say anything, he shook his head no. They were either questions he deemed unimportant and could wait or ones he preferred to ask in private. She knew him well enough to know that. It also meant she would have a lot to answer for later.

"Then if you forgive me for ordering you around," she turned to look at Arthur and his men. "I suggest you pack up. Aslan has asked to speak with you and after that you're to head home."

"Me?" Arthur asked and if Ana wasn't mistaken, there was a bit of fear in his voice.

"All of you. You and your men. I'm to take you to Him."

"We'll be ready soon. We were already making our plans to leave," he assured her.

Ana smiled. "He's not forcing you to leave because you've done something wrong. He's asking that you do so because it's been months since you've been home. You're needed there."

Arthur nodded and they began gathering up their meager things. Most had been lost when the bandits attacked the group. The remaining supplies belonged to the Narnians and they seemed hesitant to take them. But Caspian assured him that it was fine. Ana knew it would make little difference as Aslan wasn't going to have them walk all the way home. She just wasn't going to tell the King of Camelot that he was about to magically get sent home.

Once Merlin and the Knights had everything in hand, Arthur approached King Caspian. While Ana was close enough to hear what was said, she moved further away to speak with the Narnians. The conversation between Kings was meant to be private and she knew her friends missed her. She had comforted the captives but knew the Narnians were just as distressed, if not more, by news of her death. And then her sudden return. Glenstorm was more formal with his greeting, but others didn't care and gave her a hug.

She conversed with them for a little bit while Arthur had his men finish what they needed to. They said goodbye to the King and a few of the men they had gotten to know. Ana was a little surprised when two of the Knights—Gwaine and Percival—made a conscious effort to say goodbye to most of the Narnians. The others simply directed theirs at Glenstorm as more of a formality. Neither Glenstorm, nor the Narnians were offended by it. Ana noted that Merlin and Amari exchanged a goodbye and the servant merely smiled in their direction. Based on Arthur's reaction to the Narnians, Merlin wouldn't approach them out of respect.

When Arthur sent her a nod, Ana excused herself. She approached him as all the Knights gathered around.

"Before we leave, I have another parting words of wisdom," she told him.

"For me?" the King asked.

"For everyone." She turned back towards the camp, noting that most had been watching for them to leave. "I have something I'd like to say that can apply to any of us. We all know the saying about how a weapon in the wrong hands can be used to do works of evil. I have another one... One of the reasons I like archery over swords is because it's a great acronym for life. 'An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backwards; so when you feel like life is dragging you down with difficulties, it simply means that it's going to launch you to something great.'" With that, Ana turned on her heel and made for the woods, back towards Aslan. She didn't check to see if anyone was following. Their footsteps were the only assurances she needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, when writing this chapter, several quotes came to mind and I managed to weave three/four of them in. I have to give them credit. They are as follows: The quote about free will and evil, is by C.S Lewis. I merely altered it to make it fit better with the story (hence the brackets). 
> 
> The second one was about the stars. This one was actually inspired by a movie—whose title I can't remember—about stars still existing during the day. It's not a direct quote, simply inspired by the conversation about it in the movie. "Stars can't shine without darkness" is a quote by D.H. Sidebottom that I also indirectly incorporated. 
> 
> The third was the last one about an arrow and life. I saw this quote some time ago and it has been on my mind since. Unfortunately I don't know who said it for sure because looking it up reveals different people. I think it's Paulo Coelho but not 100%. (Possible others: Megan Street, anonymous). But that is the third one. The direct quotes are obviously marked, even though they were within dialogue.


	36. Wise Words and Lessons Learned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur, Merlin and the Knights are finally heading home. But before they do, there’s someone they need to meet.

How far is it?" Arthur asked almost as soon as they were out of sight.

"Not far," Ana hummed, not glancing back.

"Why does Aslan wish to see us?" Gwaine asked.

"Gwaine," Ana heard Arthur say with warning in his voice.

"What?" Gwaine blurted. "It's what we're all thinking."

"But that's not—" Arthur began but Ana cut him off.

"I don't know..." she said. "I was merely told to bring you to Him. I didn't ask why."

"Is He safe?" Elyan asked.

"Safe?" Ana repeated, stopping. "Who said anything about safe? Of course He isn't safe. But He is good." She turned enough to see them exchange worried glances and she smiled. "It's something an old friend of mine told me once. And I realized they were right. Aslan isn't safe, but many don't have to worry about it. You'll be fine," she assured them. "He doesn't wish to harm you. Merely speak with you and then send you on your way."

"It would be good to go home," Arthur agreed.

"And to think that none of this would've happened had we not been searching for places Morgana might find allies," Leon said, causing Ana to frown slightly. He noticed and tried to correct himself, holding his hand up in a placating gesture. "Don't get us wrong... It's just that we knew Narnia supported magic and thought Morgana would turn to you for an ally."

"We were hoping to persuade you otherwise," Arthur said.

"Well, I don't know what all you discussed with the King, but I know your first impression wasn't likely to sway us to your side," Ana said. "Had we not been already."

"Again..." Arthur said. "I apologize. It's just that—"

"That magic makes you see the worst in people?" Ana finished for him.

"I guess you could say that."

"Just because we support magic doesn't mean we'll accept anyone. We would never side with such cruel and evil magic. Morgana's atrocities were known and even here we have punishments for them. Just because the crime was committed using magic doesn't mean the punishment is more lenient. If anything it's more severe."

"Did she visit you? Just before we arrived?" Elyan spoke up.

"Not when I was present at court and King Caspian never mentioned anything about it so I would say no," Ana told him. "The first time I saw her was when we were delivered to her."

"He did seem surprised by her presence and Morgana spoke about Narnia's history," Leon commented. "Surely she wouldn't have done research on your country after visiting court. That's the sort of thing you do before a visit."

"Research?" Ana questioned.

"Well... more about you," Percival explained. "Apparently you're a legend. There's a book about you."

Ana frowned. "I think you mean Phoenix is a legend. Those books never mention me by name."

"Surely that's just for your protection," Gwaine said.

"If I was writing the books, maybe. But a majority of the books after the Telmarine invasion have me listed as K.I.A. or M.I.A. What was the point of keeping my real name secret?" she asked and none of them could answer. They just blinked in shock. "It doesn't matter," Ana said, shaking her head. "I don't mind. I like the anonymity it provides. It makes people less likely to target me and allows me to do my duty without worrying about looking over my shoulder." She began walking again and the others followed.

"What is your duty? Your ranking?" Arthur asked.

"My official ranking is unknown. I haven't been given an official title or anything like that," she answered. "But unofficially, only the King is above me. He's the only one that can overrule my commands. And my duty," she glanced over her shoulder, "is to protect the Narnian throne and any who sit upon it. It's not always easy especially when Caspian seems bound and determined to get himself killed anytime I'm in trouble."

The others chuckled and Merlin grinned, seeming to understand the issue as well. But it was Gwaine who broke the silence with a cheeky grin. "You said 'Caspian,'" he smiled.

"And?" Ana asked, brow furrowed.

"You've only referred to him as 'Your Majesty', 'King Caspian,' or 'the King' when not speaking directly to him. But never by just his name."

"So?" she said not following what he was saying. The others seemed equally confused. "You don't always use titles when talking with your King. What's it matter if I don't one time?"

"Because it's one time," Gwaine emphasized. "It's almost consistent with us. But you are nothing if not polite and formal. Could there be something brewing under the surface? Perhaps his desperation to protect you was more than just out of loyalty..."

"You're not seriously suggesting that they're involved," Arthur asked, almost scandalized at the thought.

"We're not," Ana answered bitterly, glad her back was turned. She was blushing and while the Knight was right about her feelings, she would not take to tarnishing her King's reputation. "There is nothing between us. And you would do well to keep such comments to yourself," she stated, stopping to face the Knight. "Because while I may not be a child at heart, I am much one in appearance. If a rumor got out that the King and I were anything more than friends, it would put a stain on his reputation. That is something I cannot and will not allow. So if I hear of any such talk, I will not hesitate to come to Camelot and put an end to it. People can hate me, attack me, tarnish my reputation, but they will not do that to my King. And that is no threat, Sir Gwaine. That is a promise."

Gwaine was taken aback by the ferocity of her words that he actually took a step back. The others looked at her in shock and with a little bit of fear. It was clear that she was serious. In that moment everyone knew that if anyone should dare to harm the King of Narnia, they would suffer the wrath of not one, but two people. Phoenix and Ana. It told them that Phoenix referred to not just the bird, but a fierce warrior and servant to The Crown. Ana would treat you with kindness, would strategize and plan for the best outcome. But Phoenix would do whatever it took to keep her King on the throne, regardless of the consequences. In that moment, even Arthur was scared.

"Right," Gwaine said, clearing his throat. "So no talk about you and the King. Got it. My apologies for even insinuating it."

At Gwaine's apology, she smiled and everyone relaxed. Ana was back. "Apology accepted. Come on. We've lingered long enough. Aslan is just up that hill." She pointed.

"Are you not coming?" Arthur asked.

"What He has to say is not for my ears," she answered. "This is as far as I go. But don't worry. I'll remain here until you're safely on your way home."

Arthur nodded his thanks and each of the Knights did as well. They all said goodbye, even though Gwaine looked as though she would kill him in any second. Merlin lingered when the others finished. There were so many things he wanted to say, to ask. He didn't know where to start and simply stood and stared at her. She smiled, seeming to understand his dilemma.

"Goodbye, Merlin," she said. "Thank you for everything you've done."

"Thank you," Merlin said. "For doing what I couldn't." He didn't need to explain as Ana knew. There was so much she had done that he hadn't been able to.

Protecting Arthur from Morgana without revealing his secret. Trying to reach Morgana. Not giving up hope and discovering there is still hope for his old friend. For showing him that a person's past isn't what makes them, but rather what they do in the present. He was almost sad to leave, even debated staying behind. Here he would be free and accepted.

"He needs you," Ana said, seeming to know exactly what he was thinking. "And although you may feel free, you wouldn't feel at home."

"I know," he relented. "It's just hard."

She placed a comforting hand on his arm. "It won't always. One day they will see you for who you really are. They'll know everything you have done." Merlin smiled and opened his mouth to reply.

"Merlin!" came a shout and he sighed.

"Goodbye," he told her before running after the prattish King. Ana watched him go with a smile on her face.

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

After being shaken by Ana's previous threat, the Knights all seemed on edge as they made it over the hill. They stopped in their steps, rooted to the spot in something akin to awe and fear. No one was quite sure what to expect when they reached the top, but Merlin was sure it wasn't this. Before them sat a golden lion. His tail was wrapped around his hunches and it flicked on occasion as they all simply stared at him. His soft eyes burned into them, like he was reading their souls. Probably was, Merlin realized.

He could feel the magic, the power, radiating from the lion and wondered why he didn't notice it before. It was so strong he should've felt it long before now and thought the others might be able to feel it as well. This had to be Aslan. The sheer light that radiated from him confirmed the pureness of their magic, their heart. Merlin knew they were in the presence of greatness and suddenly found himself bowing. A glance over showed that the Knights, including Arthur, were all doing the same.

"Peace," the lion spoke softly, startling the Knights. "You are right to be afraid, but I will not harm you. What Ana spoke was the truth." It seemed to alleviate some of the anxiousness in the Knights.

"She said you wished to speak with us," Arthur said, though his voice held uneasiness.

"Your laws, young King, while unjust and unfair, are for good reason. Your time here was to show you that not all magic is evil and that not all those with magic are corrupt. Teivel was corrupt and evil, yet he had no magic of his own. The Narnians, but especially Ana, have accepted and welcomed you with open arms, despite the fact that you could barely stand to be in the same room with them.

“There is an evil in this world, but magic is not the source. It's merely a means to an end. I'm not telling you this to change the laws of your Kingdom because I know how much magic has hurt you. I'm only asking that you stop viewing all magic as evil and then, maybe in time you can think about changing the laws." The lion's voice was kind and full of sorrow. It was like he personally felt Arthur's pain.

"I'll try," Arthur finally managed to say. "But I don't know if I'll be able to. Magic has taken so much from me, from my people."

"As it has here," Aslan said. "Narnia has been ruled by two usurpers, and both caused the Narnians a significant amount of pain. One was because they followed me and the other was because of their magic. They've seen both sides. That is why they can judge not by what they see, but by how they act. You've only seen one side for most of your life. It was time you saw that evil that existed without magic."

Arthur nodded, seeming to understand, but did not respond. There wasn't much to say to that. Silence fell as the Knights glanced at each other.

“So..." Gwaine piped up "Ana had to suffer so that princess could see that evil exists besides magic?" Arthur frowned at his choice of words but Aslan seemed to smile.

"Her suffering was to lead you to a place of pure darkness so that you could pull those that were trapped there out of it. You have good hearts and know what's truly right and wrong in this world. Regardless of your stance on magic, you knew they didn't belong there. Ana didn't suffer because King Arthur thinks magic is evil."

"Seems a bit unfair if you ask me," Gwaine muttered, but everyone knew that the lion had heard.

"And what would've been fair, Sir Gwaine? Should Ana have remained in the witch's grasp where she would've been tortured by both magical and non-magical means because she would not betray her king? Should those people have been left to suffer more torment at the hands of Teivel and his men? Would that have been fair, especially given the fact that a rescue was not far behind for you? Ana would've still suffered and when the witch fled, there's every reason for her to take Ana with her. She understood what she had to do, why she had to do it. This way, a hundred lives were saved and they learned that there's a light in even the darkest of times. A light Ana showed them."

"I suppose that seems a bit more fair," Gwaine was forced to admit.

"I could tell you why Ana had to be the one to suffer and not one of you, but that is Ana's story. I am telling you your story, not hers. No one is told any story but their own," Aslan explained. "Just know I never give anyone more than they can handle."

"She's pretty strong," Percival said, to everyone's surprise. "So I suspect she could handle a lot."

The Lion smiled. “I'll leave you with this one parting wisdom," He told them. "If all you ever look for is enemies, that's all you'll ever find. But a true friend sticks closer than a brother."

"Thank you," Arthur said. "I've learned quite a few things."

"I think we all have," Elyan said, and the others nodded. They turned to leave but Gwaine had one more question. The other Knights groaned and Merlin was forced to hold in a laugh. He might've let a snicker slip through though.

"So I know you said you're not telling Ana's story but..." he began.

"Her threat was very real. She takes her duty to The Crown very seriously. That's why I chose her for it. No one would give more to protect the throne than she would, as I know the Knights do for Camelot. She can be a powerful ally or a dangerous enemy. I suggest you remain an ally," and everyone knew He was serious.

"I feel like I should've done more than apologize..."

"She knows you were sincere," the Lion chuckled. "There's no need to worry. Though you do have a penchant for getting into trouble, as long as you're not a threat to King Caspian, or any royal after him, you will be safe from her."

"It's hard to believe someone like her could pose a big threat," Leon said. "But after seeing what she can do when she's dying, I don't wish to see what she can do at peak health."

"A wise decision," Aslan smiled. "Now, are you ready to return home?"

At the Knights' nod, He stood up. There was a look of confusion on Arthur's face, but Merlin quickly figured out what was about to happen. The Lion breathed on them and Merlin soon felt himself engulfed in a warm light. He didn't see the others and while we wanted to be worried all he felt was a sense of calmness and peace. He also didn't try and fight the magic but he wasn't sure if he'd be able to if it was necessary. His magic didn't seem to be on high alert in the presence of Aslan or His magic.

In the next moment, they were in a grassy field. The great turrets of Camelot's castle could be seen in the distance. The lower town wasn't too far away, but far enough that they wouldn't notice they had appeared out of nowhere. A glance around also confirmed there were no prying eyes present. But that didn't mean there weren't people in the woods.

"Of all the places," Arthur muttered, "He had to drop us in the middle of an open field? If anyone has seen us, how am I supposed to explain that a magical lion from a magical land brought us here?"

"Just like that," Gwaine said cheekily.

"Gwaine," Arthur drawled in the same tone he used when he was exasperated with Merlin.

"I'm sure it's fine," the Knight supplied instead. "If he can teleport us from the woods of a foreign Kingdom to the fields of Camelot in just a few moments, I'm sure he can make sure no one is watching." 

Arthur opened his mouth for a retort but realized Gwaine had a point. Merlin found himself laughing at Gwaine's proud face, much to Arthur’s dismay. Then the other's Knights joined in, forcing Arthur to frown at them. He rolled his eyes and made his way towards the castle and everyone else followed, smiles still on their faces.

"Gwaine," Elyan said as they made their way home. "Maybe next time we're in a foreign Kingdom don't look for romance where there isn't one." The Knights began laughing again and even Arthur had a smile on his face.

"Well, her answer only proved my point," Gwaine answered smugly. "She clearly has feelings for him but just won't admit it. And the way the King acted? That's more than a King worried about his subject. Come on, we all know how Arthur gets if Merlin goes missing and that was way worse."

"Careful," Arthur said, choosing to ignore Gwaine's last remark, “or when she kills you, I might find it a just killing and not punish her." Or maybe he hadn't...

"When? No. I plan on doing exactly what they said. The only ones to know differently are you." Then in typical Gwaine fashion: "I can't wait for some mead. Between running out during our travels and getting captured so that my stores were pillaged, I'm gasping for a drink."

“I'm surprised you lasted this long," Percival teased. Even Gwaine was laughing. They were finally home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there is one more chapter after this to tie up the loose ends. I can’t promise anything as I’m stuck on it. Between having a bad weekend (last week) and having a broken phone for the rest of the week, I haven’t been in the mood. But now that the phone problem is solved, maybe I’ll feel a little more motivated. Hopefully the next chapter will be up by the end of the month.


	37. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin worries if there are any lingering effects of Morgana’s presence in Narnia. A friend puts his mind at ease.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the delay in uploading this chapter. It wasn't that I forgot to update, but that I wasn't satisfied with the chapter. But I've been working with my editor these past couple of days to get it finished for you. Sorry, I know how annoying it can be waiting for the last chapter. Hope you enjoy!

Upon returning to Camelot, things went relatively back to normal. Sorcerers tried to kill Arthur, Merlin stopped them, someone else got the credit. The usual. He secretly missed the normality of it, but he wouldn't admit that to anyone.

At first, the Knights, especially Gwaine, talked about Narnia when no one else was around. For the safety of the Kingdom, Arthur had ordered them to say nothing about the people there. He wasn't sure if he could trust his court anymore—too many spies had been able to infiltrate it. Merlin didn't quite understand the reasons behind such an order, but had obeyed. Only Gaius knew the truth about Narnia and the magic that ran freely throughout its land.

But soon the days stretched into weeks and talk of Narnia grew less and less until after only a month or so, no one said anything about it. Merlin still remembered how it felt and still had a longing to return. He wondered about Ana and if she was truly back to her normal self, if her magic was back at its full strength. They hadn't had long before Aslan had sent them home and he wondered what lasting effects Morgana's presence had caused. There had been no sign of her since they'd been back. Was it possible she was still in Narnia?

Two more months went by with no sign or word of Morgana. Arthur seemed concerned about that prospect just as much as Merlin was. He had increased portrals and sent out scouts, trying to figure where she was. It was out of precaution as Arthur didn't want to be caught unawares, but he did appreciate the reprieve. There were less threats with Morgana's absence and Merlin began to wonder if half of the attacks were secretly orchestrated by her. And the longer she remained absent, the more Merlin feared she hadn't returned.

"I'm going to go," Merlin had told Gaius one day. He couldn't shake the feeling that Morgana was still in Narnia.

"Merlin, be realistic," Gaius had chided. "The journey there is dangerous and takes many months. How are you to explain your absence to Arthur?"

"I have to go. It's our fault Morgana ended up in Narnia in the first place. If she were to conquer their Kingdom, I would feel responsible."

"The fate of other Kingdoms is not yours to bear. You can't protect everyone and you have a responsibility here. From what you've told me, their forces seem strong. I'm sure they can withstand an attack from Morgana. Besides, Narnia is outside the Five Kingdoms. What could she gain from attacking them?"

"It's revenge... For refusing to help her. And if she wins, Gaius, she gains a magical army to rage war on Camelot. Forces that would be impossible for just me to stop."

"I'm sorry, Merlin. But that's not your battle. Why don't you write a letter? Inquire about their status to put your mind at ease."

"But it'll take months to get there!" Merlin protested. "By then it'll be too late."

"You can't expect to shoulder the weight of everything Morgana does. If she's conquered Narnia and plans to use their army to take Camelot, we'll know in plenty of time. As I said, it takes months to get here."

Merlin sighed, conceding that Gaius was right. He couldn't leave to find out what had happened to his friends in Narnia. It would cause him to be gone for far too long and put Camelot at risk. But there had to be a way for him to find out about them. He needed to know if Morgana was in Narnia or if she had returned home. It would help Arthur too, knowing where his enemy was or wasn't. However, a letter would take too long, especially if they waited for a response. Could he somehow deliver it by magic?

When Arthur was done with him for the day, Merlin immediately retreated to his room to get his magic book. After shutting the door, he retrieved it from its hiding place. He started skimming through the pages, looking for some type of spell that would allow him to send a message quickly. His process was interrupted by a tapping sound and he frowned.

At first he thought it was Gaius, but soon realized that there was no clinking of glasses and he didn't hear him come in. He glanced into the main room and confirmed the physician's absence. The tapping continued though, and Merlin moved towards his window. The shutters were closed and he opened them to reveal a medium-sized bird. In its talons was what appeared to be a letter and once the window was opened, it flew inside and deposited the letter on his bed. Then it retreated to the window where it perched on the ledge.

Confused, Merlin watched the bird for a few moments. When it did nothing but sit and stare back at him, he picked up the letter from the bed. It appeared to be a royal letter, given the strange seal that he hadn't seen before, but it was addressed to him. He hesitated on opening it, wondering who it was from and why they were sending it. But he realized both questions would be answered if he actually read the letter_._

_Dearest Merlin,_

_I hope this letter finds you and the others well. It's been awhile since you left and though we haven't expected a letter, King Caspian and I hope you made it back safely. Although I'm sure with Aslan, everything went smoothly and you were all back sooner than expected._

_I'm writing this because you and I are more alike than either of us would want to admit. If our situations were reversed, I would be concerned about the fate of your Kingdom. I think you would be concerned as well so let me put your mind at ease._

_Narnia is doing well. After you left, I informed Caspian and we were back in our Kingdom by the end of the week. He was placed on strict bed rest due to his injury for several weeks, much to his dismay. But he recovered quickly and found the Kingdom was still standing when Amari finally let him return to his normal duties._

_Some of the rescuees took jobs in the castle while others found work throughout the town. Telmarines and Narnians alike opened their homes for those who did not have any. Some were escorted home and I assume they're doing well. The rest are doing better than expected, given their situations. It's all anyone could hope for, but I'm glad to see smiles on their faces once again._

_I am well and Phoenix is great, stronger than ever. A bit more wild as well from being trapped all that time, but we're working on getting back to where we used to be. It's going to take some time and in the meantime we'll have to avoid stressful situations or Phoenix may take over. Some of the Narnians and Caspian have noticed it seems more out of control than usual, but they've said nothing to me about it._

_The Narnians talk often of you and the strangers from Camelot. Many have inquired about whether you intend to return. Both Caspian and I have told them we do not expect it. After all, King Arthur still wasn't comfortable being around the Narnians. Yet you seemed to have made a lasting impression on them. Especially Reepicheep who swears to teach you some sword fighting skills should you ever return. Not that you need them with the King and Knights around, but Reepicheep believes everyone should know how to handle a blade, including me._

_Due to the situation I found myself in, he insisted on teaching me as well and His Majesty more or less ordered it. I start the day after tomorrow and will have undergone quite a few lessons by the time this reaches you. Little do they know that I have sword training and expect it to be a time for me to brush up on a skill I rarely ever use. That's not my style. You didn't think I managed all that fancy footwork just from archery, did you? I fail to see how sword fighting would've helped me out, but it's the King's orders and one can't argue with it._

_There have been no sightings of Morgana in the past few months. Caspian has sent out several patrols and word to the neighboring Kingdoms. All have reported no signs of her. Once she vanished in the woods, she disappeared. I suspect she returned to Camelot, realizing there was no use for her here. Fear not, if she does strike, she will not win. Even our enemies detest the thought of a witch ruling our country so we would have ample aid. But with Aslan on our side we have nothing to fear from her._

_As I stated earlier, Narnia is doing well. Caspian has declared that Cair Paravel be restored and wants to rebuild our Navy. It'll be easier to protect our borders if we're closer to the ocean. He placed me in charge of the castle reparations before we met since I'm the only one left to know what it's supposed to be like. But it was busy and I wasn't able to go much further with the plans. I've found workers and have offered to pay them out of my salary since I barely use it for anything, but a majority of them have decided to do it for free. They just want to see the castle and Narnia restored to her former glory. Things are finally underway._

_Caspian has ordered the commission of a royal navy ship, for reasons I can't disclose at this time. Worry not. It has nothing to do with Camelot, and even if it was we couldn't do it by sea. Your country is landlocked after all. He hopes it will be able to sail within the next year or two, but has made it clear restoring the castle comes first. It will be a difficult task and I don't expect Cair Paravel will be completed for at least two years. But the Narnians are eager and willing to work so we will see what the future brings._

_Everything contained within this letter you may share with your King. While I doubt this will be intercepted, people are less curious about messages to servants than to Kings. That is why I decided to write this letter to you. The purpose of the seal has less to do with preventing tampering and more to do with assuring you that this is an official letter._

_May Aslan protect you my friend,_

_Ana Cendre_

Merlin smiled as he finished reading the letter. It was like Ana had read his mind. She was able to put his worries to rest and confirm that Morgana was not terrorizing their country. It brought him great relief and a little bit of laughter. He was able to read Ana's humour in her writing and he could tell she was doing it to make him smile. But in a more natural way so that it didn't feel forced.

At some point he had sat down on the bed to read and when he looked up he found the bird still perched on the windowsill.

"I suppose you're waiting for a response," he said aloud.

"My orders are to wait and see if you have a message you would like me to bring back," the bird replied and Merlin stared in shock. He hadn't expected a talking bird.

"You can talk?" he stuttered out before talking to himself. "Of course you can talk. You're from Narnia. Animals talk there. Get it together, Merlin."

The bird chuckled, if you could call it that. It was something between a squawk and a laugh. "I was told to avoid talking if at all possible. People won't exactly respond in kind."

"Yes, that is true. People get one whiff of magic and they start panicking. Even when it's harmless." Merlin frowned and the bird nodded. "Do you plan to just sit there until I respond?"

"If you don't have anything you would like to write back, I will take my leave," the bird replied. "But if there is something, I will stay as long as it takes to write it."

"I have to talk with my King first," Merlin answered. "Ana shared some things that he might like to know. He might wish to write something in my stead, would that be alright?"

"Of course. But I am to deliver the letter personally," he said. "It's much faster this way and I can be back in Narnia within a month."

"A month? It would take nearly a year by rider."

"We birds don't have to worry about bandits or dangerous trails," the bird told him. "We mostly have to watch for hunters which is why I prefer to do most of my travels by night. Ana knows this and that is likely why she chose me to deliver her message."

Merlin nodded. "Arthur's retired for the night and I likely won't be able write anything until tomorrow evening at the earliest. He keeps me pretty busy, you see."

"Very well," said the bird. "I shall rest and return tomorrow evening." He flapped his wings and turned to the outside.

"Wait!" Merlin ordered. "Do you have a name? It'll be weird enough explaining how I got this letter much less who gave it to me."

"It's Otieno" he replied.

"Then goodnight, Otieno."

"You as well, sir." And then he flew out into the night sky.

Merlin tucked the letter and his magic book safely away. He closed the window and changed into his night clothes. As he fell asleep, he tried to figure out how to explain all this to Arthur. Surely Arthur would believe him if he told him exactly what had happened. There was no need to lie, no need to hide anything. Right?

**~NARNIA || MERLIN~**

It was during Arthur's breakfast the following morning that he explained the letter he received the previous evening. Though Merlin had brought it with him, the King hadn't asked to see it and seemed to believe everything he told him. Including the letter being delivered directly to him by a talking bird. Merlin asked if he wished to respond, but Arthur said no. Merlin planned to at least write a thank you whenever he got some free time. Not that he got any.

Arthur kept him busy as usual, sometimes with completely pointless tasks. He had to follow Arthur to several council meetings and training with the Knights. So he didn't return to his chambers until late into the evening, as predicted. Gaius had fixed supper but once again was not present. He was dealing with something in the lower town, but Merlin didn't mind. It gave him time to write a letter in peace.

Otieno was waiting for him by the time he finished. He didn't say much to him, but Merlin wished him safe travels. As he watched the bird fly off, he wondered if that was the last time he'd ever hear from Ana or the Narnians. Arthur may not see them as friends, but Merlin certainly did. And as time went on, he knew he was going to miss them and he wondered how long it would be before they were forgotten. Just a memory that no one was sure if it was real or something they had made up.

Merlin watched the bird until he disappeared out of sight. Then he collapsed on his bed and fell asleep almost immediately. He dreamed of Narnia and of a time when he would finally be free. And in his dreams he saw Otieno fly to a familiar, yet foreign castle. It flew up to a window overlooking the courtyard where a girl with distinctive red hair stood.

Merlin wasn't sure if it was a vision or a dream but it somehow felt very real. Ana smiled at her messenger, took the letter, and the vision faded as the bird flew out of sight.

_Ana,_

_I must admit I was a bit surprised to receive your letter but I must thank you deeply for it. It was as if you read my mind. We've had patrols out in search of Morgana, but there's been no word. I was afraid she remained in Narnia after all and would retaliate against you. I'm glad to hear that there's been no sign of her there either. I'm glad you will have help should she choose to show her face again. I informed Arthur of this news and he sends his thanks and says he wishes the best for King Caspian—yourself and Narnia as well, though I had to read between the lines for that._

_All of us made it home safely, thanks to Aslan—and Arthur's slight disapproval. He didn't appreciate the use of magic. We are well and Camelot is doing just fine. It didn't fall apart in our absence, but the Kingdom was in good hands so no one was too worried about that. Gwaine is as dapper as ever but has refrained from spreading any falsehoods. He seems to miss Narnia the most._

_I wish I could say we talk about Narnia a lot, but that isn't the case. After only a month most of them seemed to pretend like they had never been there. As if your country doesn't exist. Arthur ordered the Knights and myself to reveal very little information about your Kingdom, though I don't quite understand the reasoning behind it. It's sad and I miss being able to talk about things as freely as we did. I can only wait for the day when Camelot is as free as Narnia is, when there's no senseless persecution._

_Aside from that, things are as they should be. Without Morgana around to terrorize us, the Kingdom is at peace. Less attempts have been made to off the prat and I'm grateful for that. It gives me a bit of a respite and time to rest. I've actually been able to sleep through the night these last few months._

_I'm glad you are doing well. I was concerned about it for a bit and I can't imagine the struggle Phoenix is dealing with. Being trapped can make one a little crazy for a while. I was delighted to hear everyone was doing well despite that. With your help, I can understand why your new friends would be recovering better. You seem to have a way to spread joy and happiness no matter the circumstances. Things will go well._

_I wish you luck on your repairs and planning. That seems like an arduous task and I'm glad I won't have to do it. I'm sure the Narnians will have the castle restored in no time._

_Best wishes,_

_Merlin_

Ana smiled and closed the letter. She knew they wouldn't hear from them again. They would more or less pretend they didn't exist, but one day Camelot would need their help. She didn't know how she knew that, but she did. She could feel it deep inside her bones. And the Narnians would be there when Arthur needed it the most. It was the right thing to do.

Ana looked out her window and saw the King in the courtyard below. He was talking with a noble and she felt her heart beat faster just watching him. It was a wonder he couldn't hear it when she was standing next to him. She sighed and looked away, knowing some things just weren't meant to be. They could never be. It was best if she stayed away, didn't grow attached. They had more important things to worry about. She walked away and therefore didn't notice when he glanced up to her window, a longing look on his face.

**THE END**


End file.
